•5g 



THE 



CROWN OF LIFE: 



SERIES OF DISCOURSES 



BY I.- D. WILLIAMSON. 



" Blessed is the man that endureth temptation ; for when he is tried, 
he shall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promised to 
them that love him." 



SECOND EDITION 



BOSTON: 
JAMES M. USHER. 

CINCINNATI, 0.: J. A. GURLEY. MONTPELIER, VT. 
ELI BALLOU. 




Entered according to act of Congress, in the year lSCO, by 
J. M. USHER, 
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 



Stereotype J by 
HOB ART & BOBBINS ; 
New England Type and Stereotype Foundery, 
BOSTON. 



DEDICATION. 



TO THE BELIEVERS IN 
god's IMPARTIAL AND EFFICIENT GRACE, 
AS A TESTIMONY OF GRATITUDE AND LOVE, 
THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, 
BY THEIR HUMBLE, YET DEVOTED SERVANT, 

THE AUTHOR 



GIFT 

BEKTftAM SMITH 



PEEFACE. 



In all his labors in the Christian ministry, during a 
period of more than twenty years, the author of the fol- 
lowing discourses has known no dearer object than the 
inculcation of a cheerful and trustful confidence in God ; 
in the abundance of his love, and the unchanging benev- 
olence of all the principles of his government. He be- 
lieves such a state of mind to be most favorable to the 
practice of all the virtues, that should adorn the Chris- 
tian. "When the soul rests in a calm and happy reli- 
ance upon God, and no fears disturb or cares distress, 
the heart is tender, and the hands ready to engage in 
works of love and kindness. But when the mind is 
harassed with doubts and fears, the temper sours, the 
heart hardens, the man is dissatisfied with his God, as 
well as with himself and his fellow-men, and is ready to 
smite and destroy. Hence the importance of cherishing 
in our hearts the spirit of a hopeful and cheerful religion 
— a religion which shall enable us to look up to God as 
a Father, whom we have all reason to love and adore j 
and around upon our fellows, as brethren to whom our 
affections and our kind offices are due. With an eye 
1* 



PREFACE. 



fixed upon the principle here indicated, the following 
work has been prepared. The aim of the author has 
been to present a hopeful view of the Divine govern- 
ment, which can see signs of promise in every cloud, 
and stars of hope in every night, and thus, to win the 
soul to happiness and virtue. That it may, in some 
small measure, at least, tend to the promotion of the 
contemplated end, is the devout prayer of 

THE AUTHOR. 



CONTENTS. 



SERMON I. 

The Poor in Spirit, 11 

Blessed are the poor in spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Matt. 5 : 3. 

SERMON II. 
Comfort for Mourners, 30 

Blessed are they that mourn : for they shall be comforted. 

Matt. 5 : 4. 

SERMON III. 
Meekness, . 49 

Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit the earth. 

Matt. 5 : 5. 

SERMON IV. 
Hungering for Righteousness, 68 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness : for 
they shall be filled. Matt. 5 : 6. 

SERMON V. 

The Merciful, 87 



Blessed are the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy. Matt. 5 : 7. 



SERMON VI. 
Purity of Heart, 

Blessed are the pure in heart : for they shall see God. 



105 

Matt. 5: 8. 



VIII 



CONTENTS. 



SERMON VII. 
The Peace-makers, 124 

Blessed are the peace-makers : for they shall be called the children 
of God. Matt. 5:9. 

SERMON VIII. 
The Effects of Persecution, 142 

Blessed are they, which are persecuted for righteousness' sake : for 
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and 
shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 

Matt. 5: 10, 11. 

SERMON IX. 
Contentment, 160 

Take, therefore, no thought for the morrow : for the morrow shall 
take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the 
evil thereof, Matt. 6 : 34. 

S2RMON X. 

God's Care for Man, 181 

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, 
and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe 
you, O ye of little faith ? Matt 5 : 30. 

SERMON XI. 
The Patience of Hope, 201 

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him : fret not thyself because 
of him that prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringelh 
wicked devices to pass. Psalm 37; ; 7. 

SERMON XII. 
Rest for the "Weary, 220 

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give 
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for lam meek 
and lowly in heart ; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my 
yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matt. II: 23—30. 



CONTENTS. 



SERMON XIII. 

Christian Sympathy, . . . . 239 

Jesus wept. John 11 : 35. 



SERMON XIV. 
The True Mode of Christian Effort, 257 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good 
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matt. 5: 16. 



SERMON XV. 
God our Strength, 276 

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, 
my strength, in whom I will trust ; my buckler, and the horn of my 
salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18 : 2. 



SERMON XVI. 
'The Saviour's Victory," 



For he must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet : The 
last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 1 Cor. 15 : 25, 26. 



SERMON XVII. 
The Triumph of Joy, 313 

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 

Psalm 30 : 5. 



SERMON XVIII. 
The Power of Christianity, • 330 

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I 
know, but who are ye ? Acts 19 : 15. 



2 



CONTENTS. 



SERMON XIX. 
Public Worship, . 351 

I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell 
in the tents of wickedness. Psalm 84 : 10. 



SERMON XX. 
Salvation in Christ Alonb, 371 

This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which 
has become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any 
other; for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, 
whereby we must be saved. Acts 4 : 11, 12. 



SERMON XXI. 
Hope in God, 3S9 

Why art thou cast down, O my soul ? and why art thou disquieted 
in me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, for the help 
of his countenance. Psalm 42 : 5. 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



SERMON I. 

THE POOR IN SPIRIT. 

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of 
heaven. Matt. 5 : 3. 

The present discourse is intended as the com- 
mencement of a brief series, founded upon that 
portion of our Lord's Sermon on the Mount 
usually denominated the Beatitudes. It is not 
presumed that the subjects therein presented are 
of that attractive character which is calculated 
to catch the popular ear, or please the fancy of 
those who seek for novelty and excitement, 
rather than Christian love, truth and duty. Yet, 
it is believed that they are sufficiently important 
to claim the attention of the serious and the 
thoughtful; and a hope is indulged, that they 
may be treated in such a manner as shall tend to 
the edification and comfort of some of this con- 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



gregation, and to their permanent advancement 
in the Divine life. 

It seems proper, in the outset, to offer some 
general remarks upon that most excellent portion 
of the sacred word from which the text is 
selected. 

It appears that the Saviour had gone through 
Galilee, as his manner was, teaching in their 
synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom 
of God, and healing all manner of sickness and 
disease among the people. His fame went out 
through all Syria : and they brought unto him 
those that were sick and tormented, and those 
that were lunatic and afflicted with the palsy; 
and he healed them. So wide was his fame, 
and so extraordinary his works, that great multi- 
tudes followed him. They came from Galilee 
and Decapolis, from Jerusalem and Judea, and 
from beyond Jordan ; and pressed in one vast 
throng around him, eager to hear the strange doc- 
trines he taught, and to witness, or experience in 
their own persons, the wonderful and benevolent 
works he performed. And here, it would natu- 
rally be supposed, that he would have found a 



THE POOR IN SPIRIT. 13 

proper and fitting occasion to preach to the 
people, and to advocate his claim to the Messiah- 
ship, and spread far and wide the doctrines of 
which he was the God-appointed Messenger. 
But from this multitude he turned away, and 
went into a mountain ; and his disciples followed 
him ; and there, with the canopy of heaven for 
his temple, the earth for his pulpit, and twelve 
unlettered fishermen for an audience, he delivered 
that sermon of sermons, which, as a specimen 
and a model of didactic and doctrinal teaching, 
stands unrivalled and unparalleled, in all the his- 
tory of the world. No age or genius, prophet or 
priest, preceding him, had produced anything 
worthy to be compared with it ; noT has any sub- 
sequent day, philosopher or sage, brought forth its 
rival or competitor. Singular it may appear, 
nevertheless it is true, that THE SERMON of 
the world, and probably the only one that will 
live through all subsequent ages, and command 
the admiration of the wise and good to the end 
of time, was delivered by the Son of Mary upon 
the lone mountain top, and to a congregation of 
twelve humble individuals.- Let the preacher 
2 



14 THE CTtOWN OF LIFE. 

who covets the ear of the multitude, and who 
cannot condescend to preach, unless cheered with 
the applause of a crowd, remember this, and 
learn humility ; and let the fainting spirit of him 
whose flock is small, take courage from the fact, 
that the Divine Master could preach, and did 
preach, to a dozen souls, a sermon that never has 
been and never will be equalled — a sermon 
which has stood for ages, and done more to ele- 
vate, enlighten, cheer and encourage the hearts 
of the children of men, than any other produc- 
tion that the world ever saw. 

What adds to the interest of this effort is the 
truth, that it is the only sermon of our blessed 
Saviour, which has come down to us in anything 
like its entireness. He often taught in the syna- 
gogues, and spake to his disciples and the people ; 
and the historians have given us, occasionally, a 
brief synopsis of his discourse, and detached sen- 
tences of his words of wisdom. Here, and here 
only, we have a sermon of his, reported, probably 
in tolerable fulness, though perhaps not entirely 
so. 

To the opening part of this sermon, your 



THE POOR IN SPIRIT. 



ii 



attention will be invited, in this, and some subse- 
quent discourses. It commences with the words 
of my text : " Blessed are the poor in spirit : for 
theirs is the kingdom of heaven;" and the suc- 
ceeding sentences begin with a blessing, and 
end with the reason on which the benediction is 
founded. 

In each instance, it will appear that these 
Beatitudes are not arbitrarily pronounced ; but, on 
the contrary, there is a fitness and propriety all 
along : so that, when any class of men is declared 
blessed, the best possible reason follows, and 
they stand related as cause and effect. 

The term " blessed," as it occurs in these 
Beatitudes, is translated from an original word, 
which means "happy;" and the passages might, 
with as much, and perhaps more, fidelity to the 
original, be rendered, " Happy are the poor in 
spirit," " Happy are the meek," and so on ; 
through the whole. 

By substituting this word, you will more 
readily perceive the deep and true philosophy 
that pervades this part of the discourse. " Hap- 
$y are the poor in spirit." Why? Because 



10 



THE GROWN OF LIFE* 



" theirs is the kingdom of heaven." This it is> 
that ministers to their happiness - y and this king- 
dom is possessed only by those that are poor in 
spirit. 

In pursuing the object contemplated in this 
discourse,, it will be proper to consider- — 

I. The Kingdom of Heaven. 

This,, and the phrase "kingdom of God," are' of 
frequent occurrence in the Scriptures, and may 
he considered as synonymous expressions. They 
appear to be used with considerable latitude of 
meaning ; and on this account, it is not easy to 
fix on a precise definition,, in- any given instance,, 
unless it is indicated by the context. 

Literally speaking,. a kingdom is a government; 
and in this sense the Scriptures frequently employ 
the term ; as, for example T the Psalmist says, 
" The kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the gov- 
ernor among the nations." In this broad and 
primary sense, it is certain that all men are, at 
all times, subjects of God's kingdom. He is the 
Lord, and he rules and reigns supreme in the 
armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants 
of the earth. In this capacity, " he declares the 



THE POOR IN SPIRIT. 17 

end from the beginning, and from ancient time 
the thing that is not yet done ; saying, My coun- 
sel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." 
But it should be remembered, that man is confined 
to a little province of God's domain ; and hence, 
he neither sees nor comprehends the vast plan of 
the Divine government. There are around us, 
in the regions of space, multitudes of worlds, 
many of them far superior to this earth in size, 
and, probably, inhabited by intelligent beings. 
These all belong to the government of God, and 
are always under his Divine control. This is his 
kingdom, in its broadest sense, extending through 
all worlds, and embracing all beings, from the 
highest seraph to the lowest man on earth. And 
it is manifest that, of this wide and all-embracing 
kingdom, man knows little or nothing. What 
God's purposes are, in regard to it, and what are 
the principles on which this government is ad- 
ministered, human wisdom cannot know. Nei- 
ther the " poor in spirit," nor any other of the 
inhabitants of this " dim orb," can grasp that 
kingdom, or be in possession of its secrets and 
mysteries, 

2* 



18 THE CEOWN 01 LIFE. 

To man,, on earth, however, God has beers 
pleased to reveal a dispensation of his govern- 
ment, so far as it relates to his children who 
dwell in this world. This was, at first, given to 
one nation only, as his chosen and peculiar peo- 
ple. It was given, as a powerful sovereign would 
give, to some small province, a dispensation of his 
government, so far as they were concerned ; ex- 
plaining its principles, and laying down its laws 
for the regulation of their conduct, but leaving 
them in darkness, as to the laws by which other 
parts of the dominion are regulated. Thus, God 
gave by Moses a dispensation of his laws, for the 
government of the Jewish nation. His purposes 
with that people were unfolded, and his laws for 
their guidance were written by their lawgiver, 
and illustrated by the prophets ; and this was, 
with them, the " kingdom of God j " and it was 
so, by virtue of the fact, that unto them it had 
been made known. Hence, the apostle says, 
among other things, " To them pertained the 
kingdom ; " and hence, again, it was said, " the 
kingdom should 'be taken from them,, and given 
to a nation that they knew not." 



THE POOH IN SPIRIT. 



19 



In process of time, there came to man a dis- 
pensation of the Divine government, embracing" 
the world, in Jesus Christ ; and this was more 
extensive and glorious than the former. It in- 
cluded not only the Jews, but all nations. It 
unfolded laws of universal application — it pro- 
claimed the principles of God's government, and 
his purposes of grace, in regard to the destiny of 
humanity ; and this, in the New Testament, is 
often called "the kingdom of God," and "the 
kingdom of heaven." Hence, when this new dis- 
pensation was about to be given, John taught, 
saying, " The kingdom of heaven is at hand." 
This was the kingdom of God which Jesus 
preached to the Jews, and which Paul was com- 
missioned to proclaim to the Gentile world. 

With this view, the phrase " kingdom of heaven" 
has properly been defined to mean, " The dis- 
pensation of infinite mercy, and the manifestation 
of eternal truth, by Jesus Christ our Lord." It 
embraces whatever God has revealed of his gov- 
ernment ; it commences on earth, and is consum- 
mated in the end of all sin and rebellion, and the 
introduction of the reign of universal holiness and 



20 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



bliss. This reign of God is, as yet, neither 
known nor appreciated, except by a small portion 
of the family of man ; and many are the disobe- 
dient subjects of this kingdom, even among those 
to whom it has been communicated. 

To be actually under the control and govern- 
ment of God, in the primary sense, as all men 
are, is one thing : but to know his will and 
pleasure ; to be made acquainted with his pur- 
poses ; to have his laws written upon the heart ; 
to know that this kingdom is set up in our own 
souls, and that we do indeed possess it, and live 
by it — this is another, and a far different thing. 
And this is the state of those of whom the 
Saviour said, in the text, " Theirs is the kingdom 
of heaven." They know the reign of God as pre- 
sented in the gospel of Christ ; and, having the 
key to unlock its mysteries, that kingdom is 
theirs. This will bring us to consider — 

II. The poor in spirit. 

Poverty of spirit consists of a deep sense of 
our spiritual wants and weaknesses, and of our 
constant and entire dependence upon God. It 
recognizes the reign of God in all things ; and, 



THE POOR I If SPIRIT. 21 

renouncing reliance upon self, it leans, with con- 
fiding faith and hope, upon the strong arm of 
God. It stands opposed to that pride of intellect, 
which makes a man think that he can set up for 
himself, and by the aid of his own powers fathom 
all the mysteries of the Divine government ; and 
that he has no need of the guidance of the rev- 
elations of heaven : as, also, to that spiritual 
pride r which puffs up with an idea of our own 
power,, and makes one imagine that he is equal ta 
any and every emergency ; and that he is able, 
of himself, to battle with temptation and sin ; os 
wrestle successfully with " spiritual wickedness," 
and " principalities and powers," and the " rulers 
of the darkness of this worM." Poverty of spirit, 
on the contrary, rejects the idea that man can 
stand in his own strength alone, and subdue his 
spiritual enemies without the aid that somes from 
God. It feels its weakness, and turns ever to the 
Lord for help and support ; and remembers that 
every power and faculty is given of God, and is 
to be exercised only in subserviency to his all 
perfect and universal government. 

On the other hand, it is equally removed from 



22 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



a low and mean spiritedness — a craven, cowardly- 
spirit of fear, which cowers down, afraid at the 
presence or approach of an enemy, or a difficult}-, 
and dare not look up to heaven for aid, or trust in 
the power of God. This estimates the spirit as 
much too low, as the other too high. One rejects 
the wisdom of God, because it fancies itself wise 
enough without it. The other passes this wisdom 
by, because it deems itself too much the fool 
to learn even that which has been revealed. One 
spurns all aid from God, because it imagines 
itself a spiritual Samson, or a son of Anak, 
strong enough already. The other cringes and 
faints, and has not enough of energy to avail 
itself of the aid of God, when freely offered. 
True poverty of spirit knows its weakness, and its 
strength also ; but is humble under the knowl- 
edge of the fact, that its power is in God ; and to 
him it gives the glory cf all its \ 7 ictories. While 
it feels that, in and of itself, it can do but little, it 
puts on a cheerful courage, and goes to its work 
rejoicing in the consciousness that it can do all 
things, through him by whom it is strengthened. 
Such are the " poor in spirit ; " and now, I 



THE POOR IN SPIRIT. 23 

desire you to perceive the truth, that such, and 
such only, are the men of whom it can be said, 
" Theirs is the kingdom of heaven." 

We have seen that the kingdom of heaven is 
the reign of God, as manifested in the dispensa- 
tion of the gospel of Christ. This is the king- 
dom which the prophet said the God of heaven 
should set up on earth, and which all thrones and 
dominions should ultimately obey. And the idea 
I wish to illustrate is, that poverty of spirit is 
indispensable in the man who would enter into, 
possess, or enjoy this kingdom. 

Consider the indications of this truth in the 
Old Testament. What warnings there are 
against a spirit of boasting, pride, and self-con- 
fidence ! And what promises of God, that he 
will be graciously near, and reveal himself to 
those that are of an humble spirit ! " The Lord 
is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and 
saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." " For 
thus saith the high and the lofty One that inhab- 
ited eternity, whose name is Holy : I dwell 
in the high and holy place, with him also that is 
of an humble and contrite spirit, to revive the 



24 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



spirit of the humble, and to revive the heait of 
the contrite ones." " Thus saith the Lord, The 
heaven is my throne, and the earth is my foot- 
stool. Where is the place of my rest ? Where is 
the house that ye build me ? For all these things 
hath my hand made, and all these things have 
been, saith the Lord ; but to this man will I look, 
even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, 
and that tremble th at my word." Such are a few 
of the testimonies of the elder Scriptures, indi- 
cating most clearly, that God reveals himself in a 
peculiar manner to the poor in spirit, and that this 
poverty of spirit is indispensable to a perception 
of the presence of God, or the possession and 
enjoyment of his kingdom, as it was revealed 
of old. 

If we turn to the Scriptures of the New Tes- 
tament, we shall find this principle still more 
clearly illustrated. Christ stands there as a 
teacher sent from God, bearing a commission 
sealed with the signet of the court of heaven. 
From that high eminence, he looks down upon 
the wisdom of the world, and all the efforts of 
the most mighty intellects of earth, as shadows 



THE POOR IN SPIRIT. 



25 



beneath him, and calls to the wise, as well as 
the simple, saying, ' ; Take my yoke upon you, 
and learn of me : for I am meek and lowly of 
heart." And who does not see that a teachable 
disposition — a lowly spirit, sensible of its wants 
and weakness, and willing to sit at his feet, and 
learn of him — is the first and most important 
requisite in those who would understand his 
Gospel, and possess the " kingdom of heaven," 
as it was by him unfolded ? 

For this reason it was, that he took a little 
child and sat it in the midst of his disciples, and 
said, " Of such is the kingdom of heaven ; " and, 
again, " Except ye become as little children, ye 
cannot enter the kingdom of heaven." The lit- 
tle child is poor in spirit, and of a teachable dis- 
position. This kingdom of heaven is something 
to be learned ; and it is manifest, that no man can 
be expected to learn, unless he is first willing to 
be taught. For this cause, the spiritually proud, 
who fancied that they were already wise and rich, 
in all spiritual gifts and graces, turned a deaf ear 
to the instructions of the Master, and thus shut 
the door of entrance to his kingdom, " neither 
3 



TEE CROWN OF LIFE. 



going in themselves, nor suffering others to en- 
ter," if by any means they could prevent it. 

In this light, it is easy to see why the Gospel 
was " hid from the wise and prudent," and " re- 
vealed unto babes," These babes were poor in 
spirit, and willing to learn. And here, also, you 
can see the truth and beauty of the text — "Blessed 
are the poor in spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of 
heaven ; " for it is evident that they, and they 
o?dy, were in a condition to receive or enjoy its 
riches of truth. 

Nor is this an arbitrary arrangement, which 
selects and blesses a few favorites, and withholds 
its blessings from all others. But it is founded 
upon that irreversible law of man's being, which 
declares that the man who would be wise must 
learn ; and that other law, equally immutable, 
which affirms that he who would learn must be 
"poor in spirit;" feel his ignorance, know his 
wants, and be willing to be taught. 

This law is no more true in religion than in 
every department of knowledge. The man who 
would be wise, in the wisdom of the world, must, 
first of all, feel his ignorance — must understand 



THE POOR IN SPIRIT. 



27 



that, so far as knowledge is concerned, he is poor 
and needy. He must be anxious to learn, and 
willing to be taught ; and, in childlike simplicity, 
gird himself to the work, and study to be wise. 
But the men who are puffed up with an idea of 
their own superior wisdom, and that they are 
already sages, — the " skulls that cannot teach, 
and will not learn," — how can it be expected, that 
they should unlock the mysteries of knowledge, 
or explore or possess the kingdom of science ? 
Nay, but the riches of that kingdom are reserved 
for the humble and teachable. 

It is observable, also, that the truly wise man 
is always humble, and feels his poverty of spirit. 
The more a man really knows, the more does he 
see to be known, and the more sensible is he of 
the limited character of all his attainments ; so 
that it may be said truly, that the height of human 
wisdom is " to know how little can be known." 
See you a man full of boasting self-confidence — 
vain of his knowledge, and, in his own estima- 
tion, past being taught — you may know, for a 
certainty, that he is but a superficial srnatterer, 
rather than a profound and thorough philosopher. 



28 



THE CROWN OF LIFE . 



The latter is always modest and humble ; never 
proud of his attainments, or over-confident in his 
powers of investigation, or of the soundness of 
his conclusion. He knows enough to be aware 
of the liability of man to err, and of the impos- 
sibility of exhausting the fountains of knowledge. 
For such as these, the kingdom of science is 
reserved, and such only can enter and possess 
that kingdom. 

Why should it be otherwise in religion ? Why 
should it be thought, that God should here depart 
from the clearest laws of human being, and, by a 
flat of omnipotence, force upon men, who will not 
learn, a knowledge of his laws and his govern- 
ment ? He is consistent in all things ; and here, 
as in everything else, he that will not sow may 
not reap ; and the man who, from an excess of 
spiritual pride, will not learn, must be content to 
be a fool ; and God will leave the fool in his folly, 
until, taught by sad experience, he shall discover 
his need, and be willing to be instructed of God, 
in order to be wise unto salvation. 

1 cannot avoid thinking that this vaunting of 
the human intellect — this spiritual self-suf- 



THE POOR IN SPIRIT. 29 

ficiency, which seeks ever to grasp the infinite 
with the finite, and measure God by the span of 
a human mind — deems itself equal to the dis- 
covery of all truth, and wise enough without rev- 
elation, if not wiser than revelation itself — is, 
at the present day, one of the most formidable 
obstacles in the way of the progress of the true 
knowledge of the kingdom of the Redeemer. A 
poor and humble spirit, which knows its wants 
and weaknesses, and which is lowly and teacha- 
ble, can alone unlock the mysteries of the Divine 
government, and come to a sacred nearness to 
God, and be wise in his wisdom and pure in his 
holiness. 

For this reason, and with the most perfect 
truth, did Jesus say, " Blessed are the poor in 
spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." 
.3* 



SERMON II. 



COMFORT FOR MOURNERS. 

Blessed are they that mourn : for they shall be comforted. 

Matt. 5 : 4. 

This world was never made for the dwelling- 
place of pure and uninterrupted felicity. I dwell 
not upon the why, or the wherefore, but content 
myself with a simple statement of the fact, that 
the Creator has been pleased so to order his gov- 
ernment, that mourning and sorrow should fall to 
the lot of man on earth. Of this truth, the ex- 
perience of all ages is the unerring witness ; for 
the pages of man's history, from the beginning, 
are wet with many tears. We may dream of 
happiness unalloyed, as we will, and imagination 
may depict a region where sorrow never comes, 
and tears never flow. But that land is not on 
earth ; and dream we never so much, we must 
open our waking eyes upon the stern truth, that 
the mourners are everywhere around us, and we 
breathe not a breath, our hearts beat not with a 



COMFORT FOR MOURNERS. 31 

single pulsation, when there are not, at that 
moment, other hearts which are breaking with 
sorrow. 

Blessed words were they, which came from the 
lips of the world's Eedeemer, pronouncing a ben- 
ediction upon those that are worn and weary with 
mourning. And the more especially precious are 
those words, when we consider them as indica- 
tive of the true character of that religion, of 
which he was the messenger. 

The Gospel is, indeed, man's best comforter, 
and its great ministry is, to bind up the bleeding 
heart. Hence the Saviour said, " The Spirit of 
the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath 
sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim 
liberty to the captives, and the opening of the 
prison-doors to them that are bound." 

And so the apostle, referring to the Gospel 
which God preached to Abraham, says, " Be- 
cause he could swear by none greater, he sware 
by himself; that by two immutable things* in 
which it is impossible for God to lie, we might 
have strong co-nsolation, who have fled for refuge, 
to lay hold on the hope set before us." This was 



32 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



the design of the proclamation of the Gospel, in 
ancient times ; and the text indicates, that Jesus, 
when he pronounced the blessing upon those that 
mourn, was " about the Father's business." This 
was no casual remark, merely, but an assertion 
of one great object of his mission — a declaration 
of one among the blessed ministries of his Gos- 
pel. 

I cannot pause, in the present discourse, to 
consider the fact, that men have shorn the Gospel * 
of its power, by divesting it of its comforting in- 
fluences ; nor even to lament that fatal apostacy 
from the true religion of the Son of Man, which 
has presented no word of hope or comfort to the 
countless thousands who mOurn ; but, on the con- 
trary, presents them with the dreary prospect of 
an eternity of sorrow and mourning, in compari- 
son with which, all the anguish of earth is but a 
drop before the copious shower. All that need 
be said is, that any system, which has no comfort 
for those that mourn, is far, very far, from the 
true Gospel of Christ. 

The poet has said that " Man was made to 
mourn," and I will not take it upon me to dispute 



COMFORT FOR MOURNERS. 



33 



the correctness of the sentiment. But I will say, 
if man was made to mourn, the Gospel was made 
to comfort him. If man was born to sorrow, he 
was born to an inheritance of blessedness ; for 
" Blessed are they that mourn," saith the text. 

I had occasion, in a previous discourse, to 
remark, that all these Beatitudes were founded 
upon a deep and true insight into the mysteries 
of the Divine government ; so that there is noth- 
ing arbitrary in them, but, in each case, the bless- 
ing pronounced is precisely such as naturally and 
necessarily belongs to the character to which it is 
assigned. 

To those who are in the habit of looking upon 
the sorrows of this world as real, positive evils, 
sent upon man as the evidences of Divine wrath, 
it may appear something like a paradox to say 
that mourners are blessed. Yet I hope to be able 
to show you that this is really the fact, and that, 
too, without any arbitrary arrangement, or any 
departure from the fixed and unchanging prin- 
ciples of the Divine government, as they are 
revealed in Christ. 

This is the leading idea, that I would wish to 



34 THE SSO¥N OJ LIFE. 

develop and illustrate, in the present discourse ; 
and in order to do this as clearly as possible, I 
ask your attention to the following particulars, in 
regard to the heart-cheeiing and blessed words 
of my text. 

I. The test is not partial, or limited in its 
application. 

The intimation is, not that there are some cases 
in which the mourners may be comforted, and 
others, where consolation can never find its way ; 
but it is set forth as a universal truth, that those 
who mourn are blessed, from the fact that they 
shall be comforted. Nor is there any discrimi- 
nation as to the cause, or causes, of their mourn- 
ing. They are many. 

Some mourn their follies past, and shed bitter 
tears over their aberrations from the path of duty. 
Privileges neglected — time wasted or misspent 
— sins committed — blessings despised — cause 
many a soul to bow in grief and sorrow, Some 
mourn the loss of a good name, filched from them 
by the slanderer's arts. Some mourn the loss 
of earthly goods, and weep for the riches, that 
have taken to themselves wings and gone away. 



COMFORT FOE MOURNERS. 35 

Some mourn the loss of companions and friends, 
near and dear to their hearts, who have been 
taken from them fey death. The husband weeps 
for a wife, who has departed ; and the widow 
pours out her tears, at the grave of her stay and 
support The parent mourns for the loss of chil- 
dren ; and orphans lift up their cries of anguish, 
at the tomb of parents dead. And all these 
causes of mourning are continually active in the 
world, and conspire to render it, in some degree 
at least, what it is so often called — "a vale of 
tears." But the test discriminates not, among 
these sorrows. Whoever it may be, whatever the 
cause of mourning, and however deep or pun- 
gent the sorrow, there is "a balm in Gilead," — a 
great "Physician there," — and the word is, 
" Blessed are they that mourn : for they shall be 
comforted." 

I cannot help remarking here, that the systems 
of the wisdom of men have no such fulness and 
efEcacy. To some mourners, and under some 
circumstances, they have a word of comfort ; but, 
to others, there is none. Take, for example, 
those who mourn the loss of friends, who were 



36 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



dear and precious in their sight. Their idols are 
shattered, and they weep tears of bitter anguish 
for the dead. To some, who are thus situated, 
these systems can come with the comforting 
assurance, that it is well with the departed, and 
that they have gone to another and a better 
world. 

But there are cases, and they, too, by far the 
most numerous, where there is no ray of hope 
gleaming upon the night of sorrow. The de- 
parted and dear one died, without having per- 
formed the conditions which are thought indis- 
pensable to the future welfare of the soul ; and 
in vain do the mourners turn their weeping eyes 
to these systems for consolation. No word can 
they utter, except that awful word, which renders 
sorrow doubly deep, and probes the heart anew 
with the reflection, that the departed has gone to 
an endless night, dark as Erebus, and miserable 
as nature can endure. Call you this comfort for 
the mourner ? In view of it, can it be said, in 
the broad sense of the text, " Blessed are they 
that mourn : for they shall be comforted ? " Nay. 



COMFORT FOR MOURNERS. 



37 



But Jesus had a word of comfort for all that 
mourn, and in his gospel there is 

" A sovereign balm for every wound — 
A cordial for our fears." 

To that blessed source of heavenly consolation, 
let earth's sad and sorrowing children apply, and 
it shall never be in vain. 

II. The language of the text is not doubtful. 

The Saviour saith, not that there is a source of 
comfort for all that mourn, provided in such a 
manner, that they may be comforted, if they will 
apply for it. This is undoubtedly true ; and if it 
extended no further, it would be a rich boon from 
God to man, But this is not the whole truth ; 
it reaches further, and goes deeper than this, 
" Blessed are they that mourn : for they shall be 
comforted." The healing balm is not only pro- 
vided ; but such is the plan of God, and such the 
perfect arrangement of his most wise and holy 
government, that it shall ultimately be applied to 
every bleeding heart, and earth's mourners shall 
all be comforted. To many, the word of comfort 
comes richly on earth ; but to many more, that 
word speaks not in this world. The heathen go 
4 



33 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



down to the grave ignorant of God and his word ; 
and the sun of Divine truth shines not upon the 
darkness of their sorrows ; nor are they comforted, 
in their afflictions, with the bright and cheering 
hopes of the Gospel. And then, again, there are 
multitudes in Christian lands, to whom that Gos- 
pel is presented in a form so perverted, that it is 
to them a constant tormentor, rather than a com- 
forter. Many bereaved mothers there are, even 
in this boasting land of light and truth, who are 
like " Rachel weeping for her children," and 
" refusing to be comforted ; " not so much " be- 
cause they are not," as because they believe they 
are lost — forever lost. And thus they "go 
mourning all their days ; " and, to the hour of 
their death, there shines not, upon their smitten 
spirits, a ray of hope, to cheer the gloom of their 
sorrows. And are these excluded from the bless- 
ing of the text? And must the heathen, who go 
down to the grave, all ignorant of God and smit- 
ten with many sorrows, have no part in this ben- 
ediction of the Master ? The text itself is the 
answer. They mourned in anguish of spirit. 
They wept many tears, and felt, full long, sorrow 



COJIFORT FOR MOURNERS. 



39 



pressing heavily upon their hearts. But, poor, 
stricken sufferers, though they went down mourn- 
ing to the grave, " they shall be comforted." God 
himself has determined, that life shall dawn upon 
the dark night of death ; and in the ages of eter- 
nity there shall come a time, when " tears shall 
be wiped from off all faces," and " there shall be 
no more sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be 
any more pain : for the former things have passed 
away." This will lead me to note, more at large, 
that the text is — 

III. An indication of a broad and universal prin- 
ciple of the Divine government. 

It was not a mere arbitrary juxtaposition of 
ideas, that led the Saviour to pronounce a bless- 
ing upon those that mourn. But the benediction 
is founded upon a true knowledge of the princi- 
ples of the government of God, and in the light 
of that truth alone can we see its propriety. 

If we consider the comfort, here noted, as 
meaning no more than that consolation which 
comes to the mourners on earth, through faith, it 
is manifest that it must proceed from a knowl- 
edge of the fact that God's government is gra- 



40 



THE CROWS OF LIFE, 



cious and wise, and that it embraces the final 
ingathering of all souls into the fold of eternal 
life; else, there are a thousand cases, in which the 
Gospel itself neither has, nor can have, a word of 
comfort for those that mourn. Anything short of 
a firm conviction of the universal deliverance of 
humanity from the thraldom of sin and suffering, 
will falsify the text in many, very many in- 
stances. 

Take a case in point. Here is a mother mourn- 
ing the loss of her child. He was a noble boy 
— the pride of her eyes, and the joy of her heart. 
But he was cut down in the strength of his youth, 
and consigned to an early grave. And what ren- 
ders this affliction still more severe, is the Fact, 
that he died, as the phrase is, without religion, 
and darkness broods over his future prospects. 
The mother mourns as mothers only mourn, 
and deep is the tide of sorrow, that overwhelms 
her. Now, I say, if there is any meaning in the 
text at all — if it be worth recording in this 
sacred volume — then ma}^ it be applied here ; 
and the Saviour may be understood as saying, 
emphatically, to that •weeping mourner, " Blessed 



C 0 BE F C B T FOR MOURNERS. 41 

art thou : for thou shalt be comforted." But how 
shall she be comforted ? And what is there, in 
the Gospel, calculated to give consolation, in such 
sorrow as this ? Will it do to reveal the Divine 
purpose to save a few of his creatures ? "Will it 
answer to talk of heaven and its joys, and of hell 
and its endless woes, and leave the mourner to 
doubt, which shall be the portion of her beloved 
child ? Is it enough to suspend the issue of that 
question upon the works, or the experience, of the 
departed ? Nay. Comfort, that can reach her 
case, must stand upon a more stable foundation 
than this. It must lean upon the strong arm of 
a God whose government is so established that, 
in each and every case, deliverance from all, that 
can hurt or destroy, is certain to come. It must 
rest in the conviction, that all the loved and lost 
are in the care of a God whose mercies never 
fail, and who, in life or in death, in time or in 
eternity, will never leave or forsake the creatures 
that he has made. Give us but one case that the 
Gospel cannot reach with its comfort — open but 
one wound for which it has no balm, and the text 

is falsified. The mourners are no longer blessed, 

4* 



42 



T HE CROWN OF LIFE. 



for they cannot be comforted. Jesus himself has 
no word of comfort, that he can offer. Talk not 
to a bereaved mother about comfort, even in the 
idea of her own salvation ; for, except that salva- 
tion extends to her child also, it is but idle mock- 
ery. Were she in heaven, and he in hell, the 
bright angels might sing, but there would be no 
music for her. Her ear would be attentive to the 
wail that came from beneath ; and if, in that 
burst of woe, she should distinguish the voice of 
her darling, not all the shining hosts above could 
prevent her ; but, in the insanity of a mother's 
lacerated heart, she would rush to the verge, and 
leap from the wails of the eternal city, to save a 
child, or share his fate in the dread abyss below. 
Oh! no! no! NO! Do -not, I beseech you, 
tantalize the mourner with such a mockery of 
comfort as this. 

Your faith must go out and embrace a world. 
It must rest in the Divine purpose, to extend the 
conquests of his grace, until the last wanderer 
shall be brought home, and a redeemed and 
regenerated universe shall bow before him, in 
thankfulness and joy, and a family, numerous as 



COMFORT FOR MOURNERS, 



48 



the sons and daughters of Adam, shall be in 
heaven, and no member absent or lost. Any- 
thing less than this, will come short of the full 
meaning of that word, which saith, " Blessed are 
they that mourn : for they shall be comforted." 

But even this does not cover the whole ground 
that would seem to be indicated in the text. 

We have seen that the word here rendered 
"blessed" means " happy ; " and " Happy are they 
that mourn, for they shall be comforted," would 
be the better translation. From this, it would 
seem evident that the Saviour did not look upon 
the mourning itself as a real evil, but a blessing 
in disguise, which man was fortunate in possess- 
ing. 

And here our subject opens upon the great 
question of the introduction of what we call evil 
into the world. Evil — what is it ? And why 
came it into being ? These are questions, which 
have long puzzled the world ; and which, I make 
bold to say, can never find a satisfactory answer 
in any other but that Gospel view, which presents 
all the evils of the world, not merely in the 
aspect of positive ills, for which, fortunately, a 



44 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

remedy has been found ; but, also, as entering into 
the original plan of the Divine mind, and as, in 
themselves, the wise, gracious, necessary, and sal- 
utary agencies for the production of good. So, 
at least, the apostle seems to have considered 
them, when he gave them as the clearest evi- 
dences of the Divine paternity. Thus, "If ye 
endure chastenings, God dealeth with you as 
sons ; for what son is he whom the Father chas- 
teneth not ? But if ye are without chastening, 
whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, 
and not sons." 

It seems, then, that the apostle looked upon 
the evils, that men suffer, as evidences that God 
was a father, and as being, in themselves, the wise 
and salutar} 7 agents of his parental goodness, 
designed for the benefit of his children. 

Now, when a man is really sick, it is a blessed 
thing to be healed, and restored to health. But 
the precise point is not thus presented ; for who 
would consider it a blessed thing to be sick, sim- 
ply for the sake of being healed ? Granted, that 
the healing was a blessing ; but would it not 
have been better not to have been sick at all ? 



COMFORT FOR MOURNERS. 



45 



And so of all the causes of mourning ; we need 
not discriminate, for the text does not, among the 
evils that make us mourn. 

When the heart is smitten, and the head is 
bowed down with sorrow, it is a blessed boon to 
be comforted ; but who would wish to be afflicted, 
for the mere pleasure of being comforted ? And 
would it not be better not to be afflicted at all ? 
The text answers, not : " Blessed are they that 
mourn : for they shall be comforted ; " and this 
mourning, itself, shall so promote the best inter- 
ests of the mourner, as to give him cause to say, 
" It is good for me, that I have been afflicted." It 
is as necessary for man that he should suffer, as 
that he should rejoice, or eat his daily food. 
Granted, that " No chastening for the present 
seemeth joyous, but grievous." Nevertheless, it 
is but the culture of the soul, which enableth it 
to bring forth an abundant harvest of the " fruits 
of righteousness." I grant, it may seem hard to 
shed the bitter tear, and heave the deep sigh of 
sorrow, when affliction's great deep is broken up 
upon us ; but it is manifest that this is one of the 
means through which the heart is softened, the 



46 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



will acquires habits of submission and obedience, 
the energies of the soul are called into exer- 
cise, and all its powers are developed, strength- 
ened, and matured, until we become perfect men. 
Without the sufferings of life, there could be no 
sympathy, no charity, no hope, no opportunhy for 
the exercise of all those finer and better feel- 
ings, which so exalt and ennoble human nature, 
and from which our most refined enjoyments pro- 
ceed. And hence, they are blessed, who are per- 
mitted to purchase so rich a boon, at a price so 
low. That blessed boon will last forever, and 
grow brighter, and purer, as the ages of eternity 
shall pass away ; and it was purchased by sorrow, 
or suffering, that endured but a moment. And 
hence the Apostle said, " These light afflictions, 
which endure but a moment, work out for us a 
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; " 
and he reckoned them " not worthy to be com- 
pared with the glory that should be revealed." 

Should it still be asked, why God did not so 
make man, that it should not be necessary for 
him to suffer ? 

I answer, God only knows the why and where- 



COMFORT FOR MOURNERS. 47 

fore. You might as well ask, why he did not 
first make a full-grown man, so that he need not 
be a child, and of necessity grow to become a 
man ? And all I can say is, The Eternal Law 
is one of progressive development. Why that is 
the law, I know not. God knows. 

That God could have made man, at once, an 
angel, I doubt not. But, then, the earth would 
not have been his dwelling-place. But since it 
hath pleased the Infinite One to unite the spirit 
with the flesh here, we have a right to presume 
that he had a good end in view, and that all the 
sufferings attendant upon that union were fore- 
seen, and shall minister to that end. 

Take the physical pains that we suffer. It is 
no irreverence to say, that, made as our bodies are 
of perishable materials, God himself could not so 
make them, that they should not be subject to 
certain organic and physiological laws and condi- 
tions. Moving, as they do, in the elements, they 
must needs be subject to decay and death. 

"Were they not liable to pain, there would be 
no notice, when danger approached. It was 
therefore wise and good, in God, to make nerves, 



48 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



and place them as sentinels, to guard the avenues 
of life ; and to perform the double office, of giving 
us all the physical pleasure we enjoy, and of 
sounding the alarm, when an enemy approaches. 
Who would have it otherwise, and be free from 
pain ; so that he might burn or freeze, and not 
know that he was hot, or cold ? 

The same principle will apply to all of evil 
that we suffer. God has sent it, and it has a 
mission of mercy to perform, and it shall conduce 
to our good. In this light alone, can you see 
with what propriety the Saviour said, " Blessed 
are they that mourn : for fhey shall be comforted." 
Ah ! yes, they shall be comforted, for their tears 
shall be wiped away ; and then shall they see, 
that their sorrow itself was but a blessing, whose 
agency for good they did not perceive ; and that, 
all evil, every cause of mourning and sorrow, was 
sent on an errand of mercy ; and, having per- 
formed its work, it shall assume its true form, and 
the world shall be the gainer by its mission. 



SERMON III. 

MEEKNESS. 

Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit the earth. 

Matt. 5: 5. 

St. Paul, in one of his epistles, says, " I cer- 
tify you, brethren, that the gospel, which was 
preached of me, is not after man." In no part 
of the New Testament is the truth of this senti- 
ment more clearly manifest, than in Christ's Ser- 
mon on the Mount ; and especially in tha t part 
of it, called the Beatitudes, which is the theme 
of the present series of discourses. Had a mam 
rich in the wisdom of the world, been placed upon 
an eminence, where he could look down upon a 
busy world, and behold all the inhabitants there- 
of, as they appeared in themselves, and moved 
in their various spheres and pursuits ; and had 
he been called upon to point out those that were 
peculiarly blessed of God, there is no doubt, that 
the characters selected would have been widely 
different from those, upon whom the Saviour has 



50 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



pronounced his choicest benedictions. Instead of 
the " poor in spirit," the " mourners," and the 
" meek," we should have had the " proud," the 
" prosperous," and the " vaulting spirits," as the 
fortunate men; while the former would have 
been passed by, as unworthy of notice, except in 
pity or sorrow. Yet these are they, upon whom 
fell the benediction of the Redeemer, who spake 
as never man spake, before him ; and it will ap- 
pear, in the progress of these lectures, that how- 
ever much these Beatitudes may vary from the 
accepted and popular maxims of the world, they 
are, nevertheless, dictated by the spirit of a true 
and unerring wisdom, which the world has not 
yet attained. 

In considering the passage selected as the 
theme of the present labor, it is only necessaiy 
to define its terms, in order to perceive its truth 
and propriety. 

" Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit 
the earth." 

I. Who are the meek ? And what is it to 
inherit the earth ? These are the questions, that 
will now claim our attention. 



ME E KNE SS. 



51 



Meekness, as a theological term, is used to 
indicate " a temper of mind not easily provoked 
to resentment." It is an easiness of spirit, which 
accommodates the soul to every occurrence, and 
so, makes a man easy to himself, and to all about 
him. " Where this grace of meekness reigns, it 
subdues the impetuous disposition, and inspires 
it with submission and forgiveness." "It teaches 
us to govern our own anger, when we are pro- 
voked, and patiently to bear the anger of others, 
that it may not be a provocation to us." The meek 
man is not easily disturbed, or thrown off his 
guard. He is prepared for whatever event may 
occur. He looks upon all things, as being under 
the wise and benevolent government of a Gracious 
Father ; and with a sense of his own weakness, 
and also of his strength, he bows in submis- 
sion to the will of God, and patiently endures, 
what he sees that he cannot cure. His spirit is 
trained to adjust itself with ease, and without 
murmuring or complaint, to all the events of the 
Divine reign. If prosperity attends him, he is 
still modest, and humble ; not elated with an ex- 
cess of joy, or moved to an ostentatious display 



52 



THE CEOWK OF LIFE. 



of his success. If misfortune or poverty comes, 
he meets it without a murmur or complaint, and 
bows his head, in quiet and gentle submission, to 
the evils, that he cannot avoid. And so, in every 
event of life, you find him the same quiet and 
humble, contented and satisfied man, whose mien 
declares more plainly than words, that, whatever 
may be without, there is sunshine within ; and 
that he is 

" Resigned when blessings are denied, 
And pleased with favors given." 

This meekness of soul is a virtue not often 
seen, in an eminent degree ; and it must be con- 
fessed, that, except in a few cases of peculiarly 
gentle natures, it is not easily obtained. So bois- 
terous and excitable are the passions of man, — 
so determined is the human will, and so impa- 
tient is the soul for the immediate possession of 
all it covets, and the removal of all that is calcu- 
lated to disturb our peace, — that the truly meek 
man, who is easily, and without a murmur, ad- 
justed to any and all conditions, is a rare speci- 
men of humanity. 

There are proud men, who are ashamed to 



MEEKNESS. 



53 



weep or rejoice, — and there are stoics, who con- 
sider it degrading to be affected by the common 
sympathies and passions of humanity ; and these 
may appear to wear the semblance of contentment 
and quietness. But it is the outward appearance, 
the surface only, that is calm. Below, and vrith- 
in, the storm may rage, and the waters move with 
the deep heavings of the smothered tempest. But 
the outward demeanor of the truly meek man, is 
the index of all that is within. His inmost soul 
feels submission to that Divine will, whose unde- 
viating goodness it cannot question; and with 
unresisting and uncomplaining confidence, it 
bends to that will ; and if weep it must, the sun 
of hope paints its bow of promise upon the tear- 
drop, that trembles in that calm and trusting eye. 
Not like the stubborn oak, which spreads abroad 
its hundred giant arms, and wrestles with the 
storm, and beats back the furious wind, and still 
stands erect, hurling defiance at the thunder-bolt ; 
but like the slender bush, which bends to the 
breeze, and adapts itself to take gently the wind, 
blow whence it may ; — so stands the man of a 
meek and quiet spirit, meeting all the ills of life 
5* 



51 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



with quietness, and readily adjusting himself to 
all that God may send upon him. 

This is meekness ; and we now come to in- 
quire — 

II. What is it to inherit the earth, in the sense 
of the text ? 

The phrase, " inherit the earth," is frequently 
used, in the Old Testament, to denote a long life, 
on earth. In the thirty-seventh Psalm, it occurs 
several times, in this sense. "For evil doers shall 
be cut off : but those that wait upon the Lord, 
shall inherit the earth." (Verse 9.) In this pas- 
sage, it appears evident, that the Psalmist intended 
to say, that while the evil doers should be cut off, 
those who waited upon the Lord should continue 
to live, upon the earth. Again, we may read, 
" For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not 
be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, 
and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit 
the earth ; and shall delight themselves in the 
abundance of peace." (Verses 10, 11.) That is to 
say, while the wicked shall die, and their places 
on earth shall be known no more, the meek shall 



MEEKNESS. 



55 



live long, and delight themselves in the enjoy- 
ment of an abundant peace. 

Again. " The Lord knoweth the days of the 
upright ; and their inheritance shall be forever. 
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time : and 
in the days of famine shall they be satisfied. 
But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of 
the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs : they shall 
consume ; into smoke shall they consume away. 
For such as are blessed of him shall inherit the 
earth • and they that be cursed of him shall be 
cut off." (Verses 18 — 21.) In these instances, 
inheriting the earth stands opposed to being " cut 
off," " consumed," &c, and is doubtless intended 
to be understood, as meaning a long continuance 
upon earth. 

I see no impropriety in understanding the 
Saviour to use the phrase in this sense, in the 
text. There is no doctrine more frequently or 
clearly set forth, in Scripture, than that which 
teaches, that " righteousness tendeth to life," and 
that the natural tendency of all sorts of wicked- 
ness is to death. 

From Sinai, of old, God spoke to his people, 



56 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



saying, " Honor thy father and thy mother, that 
thy days may be long in the land." And so, of 
the righteous man it is said, " He shall not be 
afraid of the pestilence, that walketh in darkness, 
nor of the destruction, that wasteth at noon-day. 
A thousand shall fall by his side, and ten thou- 
sand at^ his right hand ; but it shall not come 
nigh him. I will deliver him, and honor him ; 
with long life will I satisfy him." " ]\Iy son, for- 
get not my law, but let thy heart keep my com- 
mandments : for length of days, and long life, and 
peace, shall they add unto thee." 

Such are a few of the passages where the great 
principle is recognized, that the tendency of right- 
eousness is to prolong human life on earth ; and, 
on the other hand, the testimony is equally 
explicit, that " The wicked shall not live out half 
their days." They shall be " cut off in the midst 
of their days, and destroyed from the earth." 

And now, what I wish to say is, if the Saviour 
used the phrase " inherit the earth," in the sense 
of living a long life in this world, he has selected, 
among all the virtues, the very one, most con- 
ducive to this end ; and pronounced the blessing 



MEEKNESS. 



57 



upon the very men who, in the ordinary course 
of nature and Providence, are the most likely to 
enjoy it. 

If you reflect, for a moment, upon the causes, 
that conspire to shorten human life, on the one 
hand, or prolong it, on the other, you will per- 
ceive that, of all others, the meek man is in pos- 
session of most of the one, and exposed to least 
of the other. Is it war, that slays its thousands 
and millions — that cuts down the young - man in 
his strength, and offers up its huge hecatombs on 
its bloody altar, and thus does its wide and dread- 
ful work of death ? The meek man is not there. 
He possesses not the spirit that will embroil 
nations in war, or lead him to seek renown in the 
field of deadly strife. War may come, and, with 
many others, he may suffer some of its dreadful 
evils. But of its spirit he cannot partake ; and in 
its hottest strife, and most harassing danger and 
toil, he will not partake. He maybe the martyr, 
who will go up to the altar, with an unfaltering 
step, and lay down his life for the good of his 
country, or his race ; but the hero of many bat- 
tles — the toil-worn, scarred, wounded victim of 



58 



THE CROWN OF LIFE, 



war's hellish strife — he cannot be. Nor is the 
field of battle the bed, Gr the soldier's helmet the 
dying pillow, of him whose spirit is meek and 
lowly, as was that of him of Nazareth. 

Is it pestilence, that sweeps over the land, and 
makes every city a charnel-house for the dead — 
hurrying all ages, ranks, and conditions of men, 
into the grave ? Still, a meek and quiet spirit is 
the surest safeguard, and the best preventive. 
This truth has been abundantly verified in. the 
observation or the experience of most of us. When 
the dreaded Cholera has raged, who were they, 
that fell most easily and readily a prey to the 
destroying angel? Who, but those who were 
most easily disturbed and excited in mind, and 
whose feelings were wrought upon most power- 
fully ? And who were they, of whom it could be 
said that " a thousand fell by their side, but it 
came not near them?" Who, but those whose 
spirits meekly, and calmly, leaned on God ? These 
were they that were " not afraid of the pestilence 
when it walked in darkness," and whose minds 
were calm and undisturbed by the presence or 
approach of danger. Yea, it was the meek, 



MEEKNESS. 



59 



that it passed by, and left still to inherit the 
earth. I do not say, of course, that this was 
uniformly the case, or that there were no excep- 
tions to this rule ; but I do say, and all medical 
experience and observation will bear me out in 
the assertion, that among the predisposing causes 
to this dreadful pestilence, undue excitement and 
fear stand preeminent ; and that, of all prevent- 
ives, the safest, and most reliable, is a meek, quiet 
and undisturbed spirit. I have been in the midst 
of its ravages. I have seen it full often, in all 
its phases. I have breathed the air, that seemed 
laden with its deadly virus, and have looked 
upon the dying and the dead, all around me ; 
and, were it raging here to-day and were I asked 
to lay my finger upon the man who, of all others, 
would be most likely to escape its ravages, and 
inherit the earth, for many years, I would seek 
out, not the young or strong, the robust and hardy 
men, of iron frame and sound constitution ; but I 
would search for a meek and quiet spirit — a man 
not easily disturbed or excited — a man whose 
feelings were under subjection, and brought to 
the obedience of a gentle spirit ; and, with more 



60 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



confidence than in any other case, would I point 
to him and say, Let the pestilence rage — it shall 
not come near him. Others may die ; but he shall 
still inherit the earth. And I should be borne 
out in it, not merely by the language of the text, 
but by all philosophy, and- all medical experience 
and observation. 

What is true of this, is, at least, measurably 
true of all the diseases, that " flesh is heir to." 
Excitement and boisterous passion are the mes- 
sengers, that invite them to come, and the porters 
that open the doors, for their admittance. 

There is an intimate connection between the 
state of the mind, and the health of the body, 
which cannot escape the notice of the critical 
observer, and is worthy, perhaps, of more attention 
than it has as yet received. The stormy and 
violent passions boil the blood, and pour a mortal 
poison through all the channels of healthful exist- 
ence. A violent fever, and even instant death, 
have been caused by sudden anger. In fact, he 
that gives loose reins to his passions lives in a 
perpetual fever, which will wear out the frail 



MEEKNESS. 



61 



body, so that he may Dot hope, long to inherit the 
earth. 

Look at the general facts, applicable to 
the point in hand. Take your men of eighty, 
ninety, and an hundred years, and, as a general 
rule, they are men, who have been remarkable 
for the calmness and equanimity of their minds. 
They have been men of cheerfulness and con- 
tentment, readily adapting themselves to circum- 
stances, making the best of everything, and not 
easily disturbed by the baser passions. In short, 
they have presented more than an ordinary share 
of that virtue, which is called meekness in the 
text. And their silver locks, and venerable forms, 
yet comparatively erect, and their countenances, 
beaming with a serene and holy peace, calm as 
the setting sun, are the living, tangible witnesses 
of him, who singled out such as the heirs of a 
long life, when he said, " Blessed are the meek: 
for they shall inherit the earth." 

Exceptions, I grant, there may be, as there are 
to all general rules ; but yet experience and 
observation prove, that this is the rule. 

I observe, again,— -It is not unlikely, that the 
6 



62 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



Saviour used the phrase " inherit the earth " in a 
sense of intensity, as synonymous with enjoying 
the earth, in the same manner as we use the 
word live, in a similar sense. As, for instance, 
" The wicked may dwell in the earth ; but the vir- 
tuous only /ire;" that is, they only enjoy life. 
In this sense, the text will teach, that the meek 
are blessed, because they, of all others, most 
richly enjoy the earth. A man may possess 
much, and yet really enjoy nothing. He may 
have a title to his " broad acres," extending far 
as the eye can reach ; and that title may be 
drawn out, in legal phrase and form, on paper, or 
parchment — it may be attested by the magis- 
trate — it may be signed, sealed, and delivered, 
according to all the niceties of the law ; ay, and 
recorded too in huge volumes, bound in durable 
calf, and labelled " Deeds ! " " Deeds ! " in letters 
of gold, and securely kept in vaults, where neither 
thieves nor the elements can enter ; and after all, 
so far as the enjoyment of his possessions is con- 
cerned, he may be poorer than the humble laborer, 
who cultivates his single rood by the wayside. 
His paper title cannot give him the real inherit- 



MEEKNESS. 



(33 



ance of a single inch more of God's earth than 
he can usefully occupy ; and a small portion is 
enough for that end ; and the time is close at 
hand, when a few square feet will answer all his 
purposes, on earth. Some six feet long, and a 
couple wide, will be as much as any of us will 
need, a few years hence. But there is one end, 
that these paper titles can subserve. They can 
stand as idle cumberers of the ground, driving 
men into servitude and oppression — robbing mul- 
titudes of their possessions — leaving vast por- 
tions of the earth waste and desolate — neither 
laboring themselves, nor suffering those who 
would, to cultivate the soil ; and thus leaving to 
noxious weeds, and briars, and thorns, what 
would be a fruitful field, but for the thing therein 
written. 

They may even do more than this. As the 
world goes, they may enter into the marts of 
trade, and, in the traffic of men, they may be 
exchanged for a given quantity of a yellow metal, 
called gold, but which is in itself neither food, or 
drink, or clothing ; and I will not say that it is 
not about an even bargain, that makes the ex- 



64 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



change. That heap of gold, though piled high 
as Atlas, can no more minister to the real pos- 
sessions of the man, than his bit of parchment ; 
and is as utterly harren of happiness, as the most 
desolate tract of his unoccupied land. 

But there is a title to this earth older than this. 
It was written by the finger of God, on the morn- 
ing of creation, and it comes to us under the sea] 
and signet of the King of kings and the Lord of 
lords ; for God gave to man, — ay, to the whole 
race, as represented in their federal head, — the 
earth, and bade him have dominion over it, and 
to multiply, replenish, and subdue it. That title 
will remain, when the moth shall have eaten your 
parchments, and the vaults of iron and granite, 
where they are so carefully kept, shall have 
mouldered to their native dust. This is the gift 
of God to man. This, the possession of which 
we are the heirs ; and it is for each man to say, 
whether he will enter upon, and enjoy his inherit- 
ance. The meek, and the meek only, can do 
this, as will appear from a moment's reflection. 
We have seen, that meekness is a temper of mind 
not easily provoked. It gives a flexibility and 



MEEKNESS. 



65 



easiness of spirit, which adjusts itself to circum- 
stances. It bears all things with patience and 
resignation, subdues the impetuous passions, and 
gives a serene and calm contentment to the soul. 
Now, let a man who is rich, in this virtue, take 
his stand upon yonder eminence, that overlooks 
the surrounding country. Let him go there, 
when the earth is green and beautiful, — the 
morning sun is rising, and creation is awakening 
to life ; or, when the evening shadows are falling 
around him, and the last rays of the " God of 
day" linger and play upon the summit of the 
distant mountains. He surveys the scene with 
a grateful and contented heart. He listens to the 
songs of the birds, the murmuring waterfall, the 
rustling of the evening breeze, the hum of busy 
industry, the bleating flocks and lowing herds. 
He surveys the landscape, the earth and the 
heavens, and says, in spirit, " These are thy 
gifts, 0 God! to man;" and his soul is filled 
with love and praise. 

What cares he, that the laws of man give him 
not a title to all around him ? What is it to him, 
that in yonder vault there is a paltry parchment 
6^ 



66 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

which says that this acre belongs to A, and that, 
to B, and so on, to the end of the alphabet ? The 
world is not less beautiful, nor the breeze less 
refreshing, nor does the morning or evening 
smile less gayly or serenely, or the birds sing less 
sweetly, on that account. Whatever the parch- 
ment may say, he possesses — he truly inherits, 
and richly enjoys, the whole, by a higher title ; 
for God has decreed, that the meek shall inherit 
the earth — nor is it in the power of man to rob 
him of this, his possession. But take, on the 
other hand, the man wdiose untamed passions 
lead him ever to "vault to the skies" — whose 
greedy lust of gain has made gold his idol — 
who covets all that he sees, and who, if this 
world were his, would weep, that there was not 
another for him to filch from its occupants. And 
of what avail is it to Jnim, so far as his enjoy- 
ments are concerned, that he is nominally the 
owner of a state ? His titles may lay there, and 
moulder away, but not a foot more of earth can he 
inherit really, than what he can usefully occupy. 
His house may be a palace, and his garden a par- 
adise ; but, to his familiar eye, it speaks not with 



MEEKNESS. 



67 



half the pleasure that it gives the passing trav- 
eller. While he views it with gloating pride, 
the meek and contented beholder traces forms of 
beauty that speak to the heart, and make him 
feel, that it is a goodly inheritance which God has 
given. So, then, it is really true that, for all the 
purposes that an inheritance is useful, all things 
are available to the meek ; and the Saviour said 
truly, " Blessed are the meek : for they shall 
inherit the earth." 



SERMON IV. 



HUNGERING FOR. RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

Blessed are ihey which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: 
for they shall be filled. Matt. 5 : 6. 

The term l< righteousness," as it occurs in this 
passage, may be understood, as embracing all the 
moral excellences, of which the human soul is 
capable. It is an internal matter, which pertains 
to the man himself, and should be distinguished 
from those " works of righteousness," which are 
the fruits of this spirit. It is granted, that these 
works will flow out, spontaneously, from the truly 
righteous soul, and they are the best evidence of 
rectitude of spirit ; yet they are not the substance 
of the thing itself, more than the fruit is the tree. 
The tree, indeed, may be " known by its fruit ;" 
for " grapes do not grow on thorns, nor figs on 
thistles." But there is a distinction necessary to 
be made, between the grape and the vine, or the 
fig and the tree, upon which it grows. There 
may be a vine, or a fig-tree, in a climate so inhos- 



HUNGERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 69 

pitable, or in a situation so unpropitious, that it 
shall produce no fruit ; and yet it may be a real, 
genuine vine or fig-tree. 

So there may be a man in such circumstances, 
that he can perform no works of righteousness, in 
the common acceptation of that term. He may 
be immured in a dungeon, and cut off from all 
intercourse with his fellow-men. He may be lost 
in the wilderness, dwelling upon a solitary island 
in the midst of the sea, or, low upon a bed of 
sickness, and unable to perform the least work 
of mercy, or even of justice, to his fellow-men ; 
nevertheless, his heart may be all right with 
God, and his soul may be filled with righteous- 
ness. Let but the opportunity occur, and this 
righteousness will show itself in its appropriate 
works ; and thus, bring forth fruit in the same 
manner that the vine will bring forth grapes, 
when planted in a congenial soil and proper 
climate. 

Ordinarily speaking, there is no lack of oppor- 
tunity for real righteousness of soul to manifest 
itself in works. For our present purpose, how- 
ever, it seems necessary to distinguish between 



70 



THE CKOWN OF LIFE. 



these works and their cause ; inasmuch as it 
may happen, that an unrighteous man may, 
from interested and base motives, perform deeds 
which are, in themselves, identical with works of 
righteousness. It is proper, therefore, to say, that 
the righteousness contemplated in the text is not 
a mere outward affair, but it is that conformity 
to all the principles of truth and duty, which 
attaches itself to the inner man ; and which man- 
ifests itself, as time and opportunity permit, in 
works of mercy, love, truth, and justice. It is not 
merely an outward act ; but it is the spirit, itself, 
of which the act is the outward expression — a 
spirit harmonious with all the principles of the 
Divine government, and with all that is right, 
good, and true. 

The doctrine of the text is, that this spirit is, 
in and of itself, desirable, and that they are 
peculiarly blessed, who possess it : and, also, that 
it is to be obtained, in its fulness, only by those 
who hunger and thirst after it. 

I have more than once had occasion to notice 
the wide difference, that exists between the in- 
structions of Christ, and those of other religious 



HUNGERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 71 



teachers ; and in no aspect does that difference 
appear more palpable, than as exhibited in rela- 
tion to the subject now in hand. The points of 
contrast are many, and the mistakes of men 
have been well-nigh fatal to the cause of right- 
eousness in the world. Some of these, it may 
be proper to notice, in order to place the sub- 
ject in its true light before you. 

I. In regard to righteousness, itself, the idea 
has been, that it is an outward matter, having 
little or no connection with the heart. 

If you will reflect for a moment, you will find 
this pernicious error running through all the 
systems of the world, and leavening them, in a 
greater or less degree, from the beginning to the 
end. Their great object is, not to fill the soul 
with love, joy, truth, mercy, justice, and all 
duty, and thus, to mould the spirit into con- 
formity with that which is good and true ; but 
it is to produce an outward conformity to cer- 
tain arbitrary rites ; and the worst of it is, 
that these rites, themselves, are matters of lit- 
tle or no importance, and in most instances, 
far as the east is from the west, from the 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



works of a genuine and true righteousness. No 
matter about the heart, so that the knee bends 
at the altar, and the hand slays its victim there. 
No matter what is in the soul, so that it is secret, 
and the body is obedient to a round of observ- 
ances. This is the fatal defect of Islamism. 
Many good precepts are therein given, for the 
regulation of the hands, under certain circum- 
stances ; but, as a system, it regards not man's 
heart, seeks not to build up there, the kingdom 
of eternal righteousness ; but, on the contrary, it 
exalts empty forms and ceremonies, into the 
essential things in religion, and pronounces its 
choicest blessings, not upon those whose hearts 
are right with God, but upon those who are most 
punctilious in the observance of its arbitrary 
rites. No matter where the heart is ; the lips 
have only to confess, saying, " There is no God 
but God, and Mahomet is his Prophet," and a 
man becomes, at once, one of " the faithful." No 
matter, though the words were uttered only with 
the lips, while the soul believed they were 
false as sin — it is enough, that the mouth has 
made the confession ; and if, thereafter, the knees 



HUNGERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 73 



shall bend, and the body fast and pray, as directed 
by the Koran, then is the prophet's blessing- 
secure. 

The same principle is but too true, in its appli- 
cation to the theory and practice of the Christian 
Church. The great business of the Catholic 
church is, to keep men true to the outward pro- 
fession of a creed, or formula of faith ; and the 
great duties enjoined are such as may be as 
easily, and as well, performed by the vilest sin- 
ner, as the most pious saint. The observance of 
fasts and holidays, attendance upon mass, the 
repetition of paternosters, and prayers, and out- 
ward submission to the authority of the church 
— these are the great essentials, without which, 
no man can be allowed to hope for salvation, or 
claim to be a disciple of Christ ; and with which, 
the vilest knave, whose heart is full of all un- 
cleanness, may receive the plaudit, " Well done, 
good and faithful servant ;" and that, too, as it is 
claimed, by regular " apostolic succession," 
. Nor can the Protestant world claim freedom 
from this pernicious error. Much, indeed, is said 
about " the conversion of the soul," and strenu- 
7 



14 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



ously is it insisted, that a sudden and mysterious 
change of heart, is the great essential of religion. 
But, after all, orthodoxy of faith, in profession, 
fealty to a sect or part} T , attendance upon certain 
forms and ceremonies, the observance of rites, 
and utterance of prayers and exhortations — 
these are the practically important matters ; and 
it is an easy thing for the vilest man to come up 
to the standard of righteousness, and pass for a 
Christian par excellence. 

Let a man, for instance, come out and make 
an open profession of religion, and attach himself 
to a church deemed orthodox in faith. Let him 
give liberally of his substance, for the promotion 
of the sectarian objects of the day — let him be 
seen regularly, and with reverent air, at the sanc- 
tuary, on the Sabbath — let him pray often, and, 
if need be, long and loud ; and to him will the 
church point, as the righteous man. All this 
time, he may, during six days of seven, and in 
the business of the world, practise, for gain, all 
sorts of time-honored and law-sanctioned oppres- 
sion, fraud, and injustice; and still, he will be the 



HUNGERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 75 



righteous man, in the eyes of the world, and the 
pride of the church. 

Now, it is granted, that, under the best of cir- 
cumstances, hypocrisy may deceive, and dishon- 
esty may " steal the livery of the court of heaven 
to serve the devil in." It is granted, also, that 
God only can see the heart, and that he alone 
can know, whether the hidden recesses of the soul 
are filled with the spirit of righteousness. But 
the difficulty in this case is, that the things 
required, as evidences of a pure heart, have not 
the least necessary connection with the heart 
itself. Whether this profession of an orthodox 
faith, this observance of forms and ceremonies, 
this praying and psalm-singing, be called right- 
eousness, or the fruit of righteousness, is of 
no consequence ; for the truth is, it is, necessarily, 
neither one, nor the other, and the mischief con- 
sists in the vast importance attached to it. 
Were real " good works" required, such as deal- 
ing justly, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, 
relieving the poor, and forgiving an enemy, the 
mistake would be small, if they were considered 
righteousness, instead of the fruits of righteous- 



76 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



ness. In this case, even hypocrisy would be 
obliged to do good in the world, ere it could 
deceive any. But, as it is, the works required, 
as righteousness, or the evidences of it, are in- 
trinsically good for nothing ; and thus hypocrisy 
is encouraged, by the very cheapness at which 
the award of virtue is offered. 

Jesus looked away from this outward appear- 
ance. He sought to regulate the heart, and he 
knew right well, that the heart would regulate 
the hands. Righteousness, with him, had its 
dwelling in the spirit of man ; and vain were all 
forms, all faith, all devotion, and all zeal, if the 
heart was not right. And the fruit of righteous- 
ness was not much of parade and show, but real 
solid and substantial works, done for the good of 
our kindred race ; works, which even though 
done by the hypocrite, would come with a blessed 
influence upon the recipient, and do good in the 
world. Thus he made righteousness itself a 
precious boon — a priceless treasure of the soul ; 
and its fruit, not empty and vain forms, but val- 
uable works. And this will lead me to observe, 

II. That another error of the world is, in the 



HUNGERING- FOE. RIGHTEOUSNESS. 77 

supposition, that righteousness is not to be valued 
for its own sake, but on account of the extra 
reward attached to it, and the penalty annexed 
to the want of it. 

This error is the legitimate child of the one 
already named, Man is not so foolish, as to give 
his labor, and submit to privations, and hard- 
ships, without the prospect of receiving some- 
thing, that he, at least, shall regard as an equiv- 
alent. And hence, the venders of a false and 
spurious righteousness, which is intrinsically 
good for nothing, have, as a matter of necessity, 
been compelled to offer an extra bounty to those, 
who would take it, and threaten punishment to 
those that refuse. And so it has come to pass, 
that little attention is paid to the quality of the 
article ; the more important inquiry being, what 
shall I gain, if I take it ? and what shall I suffer, 
if I do not ? 

Look, now, at the heathen world, with ail their 
sacrifices, and forms, and labors, — their modes 
of torture, and their rites of privation ; and is it 
even pretended, that they are, of themselves, and 
by themselves, good or useful ? Do they afford 
7# 



78 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



either pleasure or profit, ease or advantage, to 
those by whom they are performed ? Or is there 
anything intrinsically good in them ? This is 
not pretended. Why, then, do the altars smoke, 
until the sun himself is darkened with clouds of 
incense ? Why are the victims offered in huge 
hecatombs, and the temples filled, and the altars 
worn with the bended knees of the multitude ? 
Not because the thing itself is valuable, joyous, 
or pleasant ; but because the people hope thus to 
secure the favor of their gods, and receive an 
extra bounty for the work, or escape that ven- 
geance, which would follow a neglect of its per- 
formance. 

And so, of the followers of Mahomet. They 
labor, not for the good of the work itself, but 
for the extra reward promised. Why is the 
mosque filled with worshippers ? Why those 
constant prayers, and ablutions, and bending of 
the knees ? Why that weary pilgrimage to 
Mecca, and those burdensome rites? Surely, not 
because the things themselves are pleasant or 
useful, nor yet, because the hearts of the people 
are in the work, or their souls love it. But 



HUNGERING FOE RIGHTEOUSNESS. 79 

Paradise, and all the charms of the celestial 
Houri, are the rewards offered ; and hell, with 
all its torments, the doom threatened for neg- 
lect. And this gives life and energy to the 
system. 

Alas ! and must it be said, that professors of the 
Christian religion have involved themselves in a 
similar error ? There is no lack of creeds and 
professions, of prayers and hymns, and of every 
form of exertion, in the cause of religion. But 
the motives in which they originate — what are 
they ? Are the churches filled, because the hearts 
of the people are there ? Is righteousness sought 
as the pearl of great price, and as being, of itself, 
more precious than gold ? And do men engage 
in this work for the love of it ? Do they hunger 
and thirst for it, as for their daily food, and feel 
that their souls need it, for strength, and support, 
and blessedness, every day ? Or are they moved 
thereunto by the hope of a large bounty, or the 
fear of a tremendous curse, in another world ? If 
we may credit what men say, there is too 
much reason to fear, that the latter is, unfortu- 
nately, their condition. The loudest professor 



80 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



does not hesitate to declare, that he can see no 
sufficient motive for embracing the righteous- 
ness of God, without the hope of reward, or 
the fear of punishment, in another world. Nay, 
worse than this. He avers, most solemnly, that, 
were this hope and this fear taken away, he 
would not, for another day, serve God, or seek 
after righteousness ; but would turn his back 
upon the one, and trample the other under 
his feet. I will not pause to ask how much of 
real righteousness there ma}^ be, in a heart thus 
wedded to sin, and filled with the spirit of diso- 
bedience. Bat I will say, the least that can 
be made of such language, is an open and grace- 
less confession, that the man has no appreciation 
of the beaut3 T of holiness — no love of truth and 
duty, nor the least imaginable hungering and 
thirsting- after rio-hteousness. 

And yet, such is the actual state of man}', who, 
with sorrow be it said, have been taught, in the 
bosom of the Christian church, not, that righteous- 
ness is, of itself, the most precious boon that man 
can possess, but, that it is to be sought and valued 
solely, or at least mainly, because there is a great. 



HUNGERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 81 

reward promised to those who embrace it, and 
an awful doom pronounced against those who 
reject it. 

Jesus taught a different doctrine. With him, 
righteousness was precious, in itself, and abun- 
dantly blessed of God was that man who was 
filled with it. No need had he to bribe men to 
its acceptance, by proffers of extra rewards, or to 
frighten men to its embrace, by threats of severe 
and eternal torments, as the penalty for a refusal. 

One more error, and I leave this part of my 
subject. 

III. The belief, that there are certain things 
which will answer as a substitute for real, pure, 
and personal righteousness. 

The heathen neglects to obey, or commits an 
offence ; and he goes to his altar and offers up a 
sacrifice, and believes the gods he has offended 
will accept this, as a valid substitute for what he 
ought to have done. And among the professors 
of the Christian name, one finds a substitute, for 
any lack of personal righteousness, in the works 
of supererogation performed by others, or in offer- 
ings to the church, or in penance and prayers ; and 



82 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



another, in an empty experience, and soundness 
of faith ; and the great mass think that they have 
discovered an infallible substitute for any amount 
of deficiency, on their part, in the perfect right- 
eousness of Christ, which God will, on certain 
conditions, impute to them, and count them right- 
eous, even though, personalty, they may be all 
defiled in sin. 

Now, if the view I have given of righteous- 
ness, in the beginning of this discourse, is cor- 
rect, — if, indeed, righteousness is of tbe heart, 
and consists in the right affections of the soul, 
— you will see how utterly impossible it is, 
that there can be for it any substitute. You 
might as well talk to a sick man about a substi- 
tute for sound health of the body, as to a sinner 
of a substitute for righteousness. Nay, health 
alone is what he needs, and health he must have, 
or he languishes and dies. Or you might as well 
talk to a hungry man of a substitute for food. 
Nay, food he needs, and food he must have, and 
there is no substitute. And so of the soul ; it is 
hungry and sick, and righteousness is its food 
and health ; and there is no such thing, in nature 



HUNGERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 83 

or grace, as a substitute for this, the one thing 
needful ; nor need you threaten the sick man 
with perdition, in order to make him choose 
health, nor promise the hungry man a heaven, in 
order to make him eat. All you need do is, to 
satisfy him that righteousness is indeed food to 
the hungry, and health to the sick in soul, and he 
will cleave to it, for its own sake. 

From the remarks already made, you will per- 
ceive how true is the declaration of the Saviour, 
that they are blessed who hunger and thirst after 
righteousness : for they shall be filled ; and a few 
words upon the truth here indicated, that they 
only can be filled, will close our present dis- 
course. 

God has so made man, that food and drink are 
necessary to the health and strength of the body. 
And in order to secure the partaking of that food 
and drink, he has given hunger and thirst ; and 
these remind man of his wants, and clamor, with 
ceaseless importunity, until they are satisfied. 
This is the only imaginable way in which it 
could have been made certain that man would be 



84 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



filled with food. And thus are they blessed who 
are hungry and thirsty ; for they shall be filled. 

Suppose you should deprive a man of hunger 
and thirst, so that he shall have no appetite for 
food and drink. Food shall present itself to him, 
not only as indifferent of itself, but positively nau- 
seous. And now you propose to make him eat, 
by promising him great sums of money, or threat- 
ening him with severe punishment, if he refuses. 
Is there the least probability, that he would love 
his food, or eat it in such a manner as to insure 
soundness of health, and firmness and strength 
of body? Nay, but the only reasonable hope 
there can be, that man shall be filled with his 
daily food and drink, must rest upon the fact, 
that he hungers and thirsts after it. 

And precisely so it is, in the case in hand. 
Present righteousness to man, as a repulsive and 
bitter thing of itself, and leave him without a 
desire for it, and vain will it be to bribe him with 
heaven, or threaten him with hell, as a motive to 
partake of the bitter thing. But let him see 
righteousness as it is, the only permanent and 
real good, the thing to be desired above all else 



HUNGERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 85 

beneath the sun, — create in him thus an appetite 
for this " angel's food," — let his soul long after it, 
and hunger and thirst for it, — and then you open 
the only sure prospect that it will be filled. 

That this is the only hope, may be seen at a 
glance. Righteousness is an internal conformity 
to all that is good and true. Now, let a man 
endeavor to make himself righteous, for the pur- 
pose of securing to himself the reward of a 
heaven, in another world. Do you not see, that 
the motive is, in itself, mercenary and selfish, and, 
as such, utterly subversive of that righteousness 
which it would promote ? Or, let a man attempt 
to make himself righteous, because he is afraid 
of hell, in another world, and you perceive, at 
once, that the motive is but a slavish fear, whose 
only tendency is to harden the heart, and lead it 
still further from the righteousness of God. 

The truth is, righteousness must be loved and 
embraced for its own sake, or not at all ; and 
hence, they alone can hope to be filled, who hun- 
ger and thirst after it. Here, then, shines the 
wisdom of the blessed Saviour, and here is pre- 
sented the true idea of that pure and exalted 
8 



86 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



righteousness which he enjoins it upon us to seek, 
as the permanent and only food upon which the 
soul can live and nourish. 

And, in this view, you can see how blessed is 
that man who hungers and thirsts after righteous- 
ness — whose meat and whose drink it is to do 
the will of God; and also, you can perceive why 
it is, that such, and such only, may hope to be 
filled. "Why, then, do we spend money for that 
which is not bread, and labor for that which sat- 
isfieth not? Let us hearken diligently unto 
God, eat that which is good, and let our souls 
delight themselves in fatness. 



SERMON V. 



THE MERCIFUL. 
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matt. 5: 7, 

Mercy is often called the "darling attribute" 
of God; and that there is, at least, some propriety 
in such an appellation, is evident from the fact, 
that " He delighteth in mercy." Though we may 
not discriminate between the attributes of God, in 
such a manner as to exalt one, in point of excel- 
lency, above another, yet there is good reason for 
saying, that mercy comes most near to a mani- 
festation of the Divine nature itself. " God is 
love ; " and love is not so much an attribute of 
God, as it is the essential element of his being. 
It is, therefore, unquestionable, that all his attri- 
butes are but different modifications or expressions 
of Divine love, which is the efficient agent at 
work in all departments of his government ; and 
it receives other names, only because of the cir- 
cumstances in which it operates* and the forms 



ss 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



it necessarily assumes, to the imperfect vision 
of man. 

There is, in truth, as much of love in the 
severest inflictions of his justice, as in the most 
tender exercise of his mercy ; and so it would 
appear to the eye that could look through all 
forms, and with a direct onsight upon the essence 
of things. And so of all the attributes of God. 
A true analysis will resolve them all back to the 
original element of love ; for such is the nature 
of God. In one, this element may appear more 
clearly, to our view, than in another ; and in 
mercy, it is most plainly and palpably visible, for 
there it shines without " a veil between." The 
circumstances which call out the manifestations 
of mercy are such, that, in them, the original 
element of love appears most conspicuously, and 
in the nearest approximation to its real essence. 
Love, in God, may be defined to mean the eter- 
nal disposition or nature of God to communi- 
cate good ; and this love flows out ever, and 
extends to all the creatures whom he has made. 
Imagine, now, any being to be suffering, or in dis- 
tress; and to him, this love comes under the name 



THE MERCIFUL. 



89 



of Mercy ; and it is easy to see, that, in the relief 
it gives, there are the workings of the Divine 
nature itself, slightly shaded only by the circum- 
stances under which it is manifested. And if we 
may presume to offer a reason why God especially 
" delighteth in mercy," it is because, in its exer- 
cise, his ways are not in darkness or obscurity, 
but in a light that can be seen and appreciated by 
his children, to the joy of their souls. No tear 
does it cause to fall, except it be the tear of con- 
trition or gratitude ; nor does it inflict a pang, or 
sorrow, upon the children of men, but for their 
good. 

As mercy, in God, is the most clear and palpa- 
ble manifestation of the Divine nature, so, in 
man, it is the highest virtue, and that which 
raises him to the most near and intimate com- 
munion with the Author of his being. In a world 
of suffering and sin, where all are liable to dis- 
tress and sorrow, and where pain, sickness, mis- 
fortune, death, and woe abound, and fall upon 
the evil and the good, there is no more appropri- 
ate, higher, or holier sphere of human action, than 
in relieving the sufferings of our brethren; no 
8* 



90 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



diviner virtue, or more exalted sentiment, than 
that which feels for others' woes, and prompts the 
willing hands to soothe the anguish of our fellow- 
men. And this is mercy. It bends with tender 
sympathy over the sufferings of man, of every 
kind and form, and delights to heal the broken 
heart, and pour the oil of comfort into the 
bosom of the afflicted and sorrowful. Of this 
godlike virtue, the poet has said, well and truly, 

" It droppeth like the gentle rain from heaven 
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed ; 
It blesses him that gives, and him that takes. 
; T is mightiest in the mightiest ; it becomes 
The throned monarch better than his crown. 
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, 
The attribute to awe and majesty, 
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings ; 
But Mercy is above this sceptred sway, 
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings, 
It is an attribute to God himself ; 
And earthly power doth then show likest God's, 
When Mercy seasons Justice." 

For the exercise of this virtue, there is ample 
opportunity on earth, because its objects are not 
merely our friends and acquaintances, but the 
whole race ; and even the annual creation ; for, 



THE MERCIFUL. 



91 



" the merciful man is merciful to his beast." 
"Wherever there is a living thing enduring suf- 
fering or pain, there is an opportunity for an 
exercise of mercy ; and the truly merciful man 
will pity, even though he cannot relieve. Upon 
such a man, the blessing of the Saviour was pro- 
nounced ; and it is obvious, that the exercise of 
such a virtue, the possession of a spirit so nearly 
allied to God, is, in itself, a great and valuable 
blessing. But the benediction of the text extends 
further than this ; and makes the merciful man 
peculiarly blessed, from the fact, that he shall 
obtain mercy, in his turn. This is no small mat- 
ter. Erring, sinful, ungrateful and wandering 
creatures, as we are, we do, all of us, every day 
of our lives, need much of the clemency and 
mercy of God. And surrounded, as we are, with 
disease, and misfortunes, and afflictions, which 
no human wisdom can prevent, and beset with 
temptations and infirmities on every side, no man 
may hope to pass through life, without having 
need of mercy from his fellow-men. 

The principle of the text is, that those who 
show mercy shall find it. Whether it was the 



92 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



intention of Christ to say, that the merciful shall 
obtain mercy from God, or man, or both, I will 
not pretend to decide. In either of these senses, 
the text is undoubtedly true ; and I shall do no 
violence to its spirit, by considering it in both 
these aspects. 

I. The merciful shall obtain mercy from man. 

There are, of course, exceptions to this, as 
there are to all general rules ; yet, the rule itself 
is based upon that universal law, in virtue of 
which, " like begets like." Every spirit that 
man manifests, or exercises, towards his fellow- 
men, is calculated, in its influences, to produce a 
similar spirit on their part. The illustrations of 
this rule are as numerous as the human passions, 
and various as the circumstances, that call those 
passions into action. 

Go to your fellow-man in the spirit of wrath. 
Assail him with, angry words, and opprobrious 
epithets, and there is scarcely anything more cer- 
tain, than that, b} r persisting in this course, you 
will soon see the same fire kindling in his heart, 
that is burning with vehement heat in yours. 
An answering chord will be touched, and he will 



THE MERCIFUL. 



93 



soon be angry, as you are angry. But meet him, 
even though he is bursting with rage, in the 
spirit of meekness and love, with calm words of 
kindness and good-will, and you shall soon see 
his anger cooling ; and, if you falter not, but a 
short time will pass, ere his heart will become 
soft ; — the raging tumult of passion shall pass 
away, and leave him calm as a summer morning. 
So true it is, that " a soft answer turneth away 
wrath." 

Again, go to one of your brethren, who is in 
distress, either of body or of mind, in the spirit of 
the Master. Sympathize with his sufferings, — 
speak kind words to him, and they shall fall like 
the gentle dews of heaven upon his heart. Put 
forth your hand in the work of mercy, and it 
shall leave an impression there, that shall never 
be eradicated. And when you, in your turn, fall 
into misfortune or suffering, and call upon that 
man for mercy, he will be near you, and will 
give back that mercy which he received, in good 
measure, " pressed down and running over." No 
matter what the occasion may be, that first called 
for an exercise of mercy, on your part. It may 



94 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



be sickness, it may be misfortune, or it may be 
crime ; and, in either case, the result shall be the 
same. Indeed, it often happens, that the man of 
guilt and blood, who has been buffeted by the 
cold world, and who has braved the fiercest 
storms of its wrath, is most sensitive to the im- 
pressions of merc}^, and most sure to show mercy 
in return. 

Go you, to the felon in the cell, incarcerated 
there, for crimes that manifested an utter destitu- 
tion of all the nobler and better feelings of the 
human heart. Go in the spirit of the Saviour. 
Speak to him words of kindness and compassion. 
Smite upon that hard heart, with deeds dictated 
by Heaven's mercy, and it shall melt like wax, in 
the rays of the sun. No man shall grasp } T our 
hand in a warmer or firmer embrace, than that 
hardened criminal, whom the world had given up 
as lost, and in whom it had seen only, one to be 
crushed and blotted out, as a foul stain upon the 
face of God's creation. And if he lives, and you 
live, and fall upon evil times, or are overwhelmed 
in sorrow, or misfortune, count on him as your 
friend. On earth, there shall not be a heart, that 



THE MERCIFUL. 



95 



will commiserate more truly, or a man that shall 
do, or dare more, to serve you, than that lost one, 
whom you have saved by your mercy. It may 
be, that these outcasts, as they are considered, 
are all unused to the voice of mercy, so that, 
when it comes, it strikes upon the heart with a 
new and strange power, which overwhelms them. 
And this may be the reason, why they are fre- 
quently even more sensitive, and more certain to 
return mercy for mercy, than those who have 
often felt its genial influence. 

But whatever may be the reason, of the fact 
there is no doubt, that the abandoned often yield 
an implicit obedience to the law of our being, 
which renders mercy for mercy, and, in many 
cases, that obedience is most cheerfully and effi- 
ciently rendered. 

The American Indians are, perhaps, the best 
specimen of human nature left to its own work- 
ings, that can be found; and it is remarkable, with 
what strictness they yield their obedience to the 
principle now under consideration. If they return 
evil for evil, cruelty for cruelty, and blood for 
blood, it is not less true, that, as a general rule, 



96 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



they return kindness for kindness, and mercy for 
mercy. Many instances of this kind have been 
evolved, in the intercourse of the whites with that 
remarkable people. 

I select one only, and that, not because it is 
most striking or important, but because, to my 
knowledge, it has never been written. I had it 
from the mouth of one of the parties concerned, 
and deem it worthy of being repeated. 

In the State of Alabama, and not far from the 
junction of the waters of the Coosa and Talla- 
poosa, there is a plantation, on which resides an 
aged widow, of some means, of much respecta- 
bility, well-known benevolence, and no ordinary 
intelligence. There, she and her husband set- 
tled, many years ago, and while the surrounding 
country was inhabited by Indians. 

An elder son was, for a time, an agent of the 
government, and dwelt at an Indian settlement 
not far distant. He was characterized not less 
for his clemency and mercy, than for his justice ; 
and not unfrequently interposed, to save the Indi- 
ans from the cupidity and rapacity of the traders, 
who came among them. 



THE MERCIFUL. 



97 



It frequently happened that the mother visited 
her son, and dwelt for a season among those chil- 
dren of the forest. At such times, she was busy 
with the sick, and such as were in distress, min- 
istering to their wants, and doing what she could, 
to relieve their sufferings. 

It was during that war, which is familiarly 
known, in that quarter, under the name of "Gen- 
eral Jackson's war," that the Indians formed the 
design of surprising, and putting to death, the 
whole settlement, where my friend resided. The 
plan was discovered, and all was, of course, 
excitement and alarm. 

Ever}' night the dread onset was expected, and 
all possible means were taken to secure safety. 
" But," said my aged friend, " I was not afraid. 
For me and mine, we had done good to the Indi- 
ans, and I did not believe, that they would harm 
us." And the fact, as afterwards revealed, proved 
that her confidence was well founded. The plan 
was frustrated, by being discovered, or by the 
proximity of the army. " But," said an Indian, 
in after time, to this aged friend, " were you 
afraid?" "No," was the reply, "I was not 
9 



98 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



afraid." " No need," said he. " Your house was 
marked, and no Indian would hurt you." 

Goaded to madness, these children of nature 
could plan the destruction of a settlement ; but, in 
the midst of all this wrath, they could remember 
mercy for mercy ; and had they carried out their 
fell design, the hatchet might have been red with 
blood, and the bow of the warrior hurled the mes- 
senger of death, with fatal aim, to many a warm 
beating heart ; but, clad in the panoply of deeds 
of mercy, that unarmed woman, and her helpless 
children, might have stood in the midst of car- 
nage and death, and no hair upon the head of 
her, or hers, should have perished. 

" Blessed are the merciful : for they shall obtain 
mercy." Yes, they shall obtain it, at the hands 
of their fellow-men ; and even the poor Indian, 
in whose untutored soul, a weak faith can detect 
no ray of compassion, shall yield obedience to 
that law of human being, which renders mercy 
for mercy ; nor can revenge, or war, blot that law 
even from the savage heart. 

It is not pretended, of course, that there are no 
instances in which a man of mercy has, in his 



THE MERCIFUL. 



99 



hour of peril, or danger, or distress, failed to 
receive that mercy, from the hand of his fellow- 
man, for which he has plead most earnestly. 
But, as a general rule, and as a fixed principle 
of the Divine government, it is true, beyond all 
question, that men are far more ready and wil- 
ling, to extend mercy to the merciful, than to 
those who are devoid of that virtue. And this 
principle extends, not only to men's deeds, but 
also to their opinions and words. 

A harsh or an uncharitable judgment will 
hardty be rendered, by public opinion, against a 
man, who is known for his kind and merciful 
heart. Even his offences w r ill be palliated, and 
his faults will be mentioned with kindness, and 
commiseration ; and if he falls, at last, into guilt, 
justice, in his case, will be tempered w T ith mercy ; 
and if the stern mandate of the law declares, that 
he must suffer its penalty, mercy will linger in 
the hearts of the people, and they will pit}', and 
weep, in the tenderness of their hearts, over the 
sufferings, that they cannot relieve. So true it 
is, that, there is a blessing for the merciful, in 



100 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



the fact, that they shall obtain mercy from their 
fellow-men. 

II. The merciful shall obtain mercy from 
God. 

God, indeed, governs all things ; and a strong 
and confiding faith will recognize the ordinary 
manifestations of mercy, from man to man, as 
coming from God, and as the testimonies of his 
most abundant mercy. It was an act of mercy 
in God, which so made the human heart, that it 
yearns with peculiar tenderness towards the mer- 
ciful, and thus rendered it possible for any man 
to secure the kind consideration of his fellow- 
men, upon the easy condition, that he shall him- 
self be merciful. And thus it is, that every throb 
of commiseration for the woes of others, which beats 
in the human heart, becomes the transcript of the 
Divine mercy, and the medium through which he 
manifests the darling attribute, to his children 
on earth. Mercy has not its original source in 
human nature. It was planted there by the all- 
merciful Creator. Its fountain is in God, and its 
highest perfection, in the soul of man, is but a 
drop from an exhaustless ocean, a small scintilla- 



THE MERCIFUL. 



101 



tion from the eternal rock. And thus does it 
appear, that all mercy is of God ; and though it 
is obtained of man, yet it is from above, and man 
is but the medium through which it is communi- 
cated. 

Nevertheless, there is a distinction proper to be 
made, between that mercy, which comes to us 
through the agency or instrumentality of our fel- 
low-men, and that, which is manifested directly 
from God, to the human soul. It is true, beyond 
doubt, that God is all-merciful — that all men are 
the constant recipients of his mercy, and that even 
the best of men have need of it, and experience 
it richly, every day of their lives. And it is true, 
also, that God has concluded the world in unbe- 
lief, " that he might have mercy upon all." Still, 
there are peculiar manifestations of the Divine 
mercy, which can only be obtained by the mer- 
ciful. 

In the first place, the merciful man is the only 
one, who is likely to recognize, or feel, a sense of 
the Divine mercy. Take the hard-hearted, the 
misanthropic, or the cruel man, who never felt a 
warm and genial glow of pity, or compassion, for 
9* 



102 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



the sufferings, or the sorrows, of his fellows, and 
whose ear has ever been deaf to the cries of those 
who had no helper. Let that man witness the 
displays of mercy, in his fellow-man. Let him 
see the forgiveness of the penitent, or the compas- 
sion of a Howard exercised towards those that 
are in prison or bonds ; and he cannot compre- 
hend it. He will attribute it to weakness, or 
cowardice, or perhaps to a sympathy with the 
crimes, or follies, of the erring, or offending. And 
if it is exercised towards himself, he will be ready 
to suspect, that it comes from vanity, or interest, 
or some sinister motive. 

And so of the Divine mercy. It may flow in 
streams all around him, and he will take it as a 
matter of course, nor dream that it comes from 
the mercy of God. How can he ? Mercy is a 
principle which is an utter stranger to his heart. 

But the merciful man recognizes mercy wher- 
ever he sees it, as the friend of his heart. If it 
comes from man, he feels and appreciates it, and 
is doubly blessed, because he knows, that he also 
is blessed from whom it proceeds. If it comes 
from God, he sees it as the attribute Divine, and 



THE MERCIFUL. 



103 



enjoys it the more richly, because he knows, 
it is full and free. He is like the man whose 
eyes are open to behold the light, and all the beau- 
ties of nature, and whose ear is tuned in harmony 
with the songs, that burst from creation around 
him. But the other is like the blind man, who 
walks in darkness, while the light is shining in 
full splendor on his path. Or, like the deaf man, 
in whose soul there is no music, and who sits in 
solitude and silence, while ten thousand tongues 
are vocal with joy, on every side. 

So, then, it is manifest, that one of the con- 
ditions on which man is to receive the Divine 
mercy, and enjoy it as such, is, that he shall him- 
self be merciful, and thus prepare his soul for the 
reception of the heavenly guest. 

And then, again, mercy, in the human heart, 
so elevates man, assimilates him to the Divine 
nature, that he comes to a sacred nearness with 
God, and so walks with him, that there is but a 
step between him and the Divinity; and the 
mercy of heaven is always at hand. Let him 
fall into suffering, or trouble, the merciful deeds 
he has done will bend, like smiling angels, over 



104 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



him ; the mercy of his own soul will bring him 
up so near to his God, that the Divine principle 
will come to him, as it were, fresh from the eter- 
nal fountain, and fill him with comfort and peace. 
It is not, therefore, an arbitrary arrangement, by 
which God communicates his peculiar mercies to 
the merciful. But it is, on the contrary, in 
accordance with that eternal fitness of things, 
which requires, that the soul of man must be 
prepared, ere it can be a tabernacle of God, or 
receive spiritual gifts from on high. Pray ye, 
then, that God will prepare your hearts, by an 
exercise of mercy, to realize the truth of that 
word, which saith, " Blessed are the merciful : for 
they shall obtain mercy." 



SERMON VI. 



PURITY OF HEART. 

Blessed are the pure in heart : for they shall see God. 

Matt. 5: 8. 

The text naturally suggests to the mind, an 
important distinction between the Gospel of Christ 
and other systems, in the fact, that it has mainly 
to do with the hearts of men, while they direct 
their efforts mostly to the regulation of the hands. 
They are satisfied when man yields an outward 
obedience to their commands ; but Christianity is 
never satisfied, until the heart is purified, so that 
it can yield the obedience of love. Others could 
give directions for the government of the outward 
conduct ; but it was the aim of Jesus to touch 
the heart, and bring it into subjection to the law 
of Divine love. It is, probably, for this reason, 
that the specific moral precepts of the Gospel are 
even less full and explicit, than those of some 
of the ancients ; and its code consists rather of 
great first principles, than minute and particular 
details. 



108 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



Christ saw that the source of human actions 
was deeper than his predecessors had imagined. 
The experience of ages had demonstrated the fact, 
that no mere arbitrary laws couid control human 
action, or guide it in the path of duty, so long as 
the hearts of the children of men were fully set 
in them to do evil. Hence, he inculcated purity 
of heart, as the great boon to be sought, with all 
earnestness, and the only effectual remedy for 
sin, and safeguard of virtue. He sought to 
infuse into the sou] those Divine truths, which 
should so exalt and purify the nature, that 
each individual man should become a law unto 
himself, and voluntarily walk in the way of truth 
and duly. 

To hedge men around with laws, while they 
were bent on mischief, and while all was corrupt 
within, was, in his view, but to chain the furious 
maniac, and leave him a maniac still, to sunder 
his chains, and break out in acts of violence. 

Better, by far, to speak the word, that had 
power to cast out the evil spirit, and restore the 
madman to his right mind, and then leave him to 
follow the promptings of the better spirit, 



PURITY OF HEART. 



107 



One holy principle of Heaven's truth. — one 
pure and godlike feeling, breathed upon the soul, 
and diffused through the heart of universal hu- 
manity — is more efficacious for good, than all 
the abstract laws, for the regulation of human 
hands and bodies, that were ever invented. 

I hold it, therefore, as the glory of Christ, that, 
instead of tampering with the external, he ap- 
pealed to the internal man, and labored so to 
breathe into the soul the breath Divine, that it 
might live the life of God, and spontaneously 
bring forth the abundant fruits of righteousness. 

The benediction of the text is pronounced upon 
" the pure in heart/' and their blessedness con- 
sists in the fact, that they shall see God. In pur- 
suing the subject here presented, it will be proper 
to consider — 

I. The characters upon which the blessing is 
pronounced. 

These are tl the pure in heart." It is not pre- 
sumable, that we are to understand, by purity of 
heart, a destitution of the passions, or propensities, 
common to human nature ; for this would make 
the perfect stoic, eold as marble, and incapable of 



108 



THE CROWN OF LIPS. 



an act, that should rise above the workings of an 
inanimate machine. God has made us, and 
endued us with all the passions we possess ; and 
they are all proper, and necessary to our well- 
being. The difficulty is in the excess, or the 
wrong action, of the passions, and not in their 
harmonious development, or proper exercise. 
They are blind, and, if left uncontrolled, will 
certainly run into excess and evil. For this 
cause, God has exalted us above the brutes, by 
giving us an intellectual and moral nature ; and 
these should direct, and guide, and regulate the 
passions, and bring them into subjection to the 
law of love, which is but an emanation from God 
himself — the test and standard of all purity and 
goodness. 

This great law of Divine love, in which all 
other laws are fulfilled, and which is the sum 
and substance of all the law and the prophets, 
should be the supreme rule — the great govern- 
ing principle of the mind — hallowing every 
thought, and giving tone and direction to every 
act. In Christ, " a new commandment" is given, 
that " we should love one another ; " and strict 



PURITY OF HEART. 



109 



conformity to this great law, is the highest point 
of human parity. Let but this love be in us, and 
abound, and we shall be numbered among the 
pure in heart. Not, that we shall be stripped 
entirely of the common and universal attributes 
of humanity ; but, love and kindness shall so 
pervade and sanctify the soul, that every passion 
shall be tuned to harmony, and brought to the 
obedience of Christ. 

Purity of heart consists, not in a stoical apa- 
thy, or morbid insensibility, which enables a man 
to walk among his fellows like a marble statue, 
which, though beautiful and white, is cold and 
dead. The pure heart is warm, and alive to all 
the best and tenderest sensibilities of nature. 
Men may lift themselves, as they think, above 
the world, stand aloof from their race, and have 
no communion with its evil doings ; but there is 
no evidence of real purity, in such a course. That 
blessed boon is not to be sought in the cell of the 
monk, or the cloister of the recluse, but in the 
busy world, where man was made to dwell, and 
to act. And it is not confined to the votaries of 
any creed, or to the professors of any sect. The 
10 



no 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



Samaritan, who bound op the wounds of the trav- 
eller by the wayside, though despised by the world, 
and held by the Jews as an "alien from the com- 
monwealth of Israel," and an outcast from the 
favor of God, was, nevertheless, far more worthy 
to be ranked among the pure m heart, than the 
austere and sanctimonious Priest and Levite, 
who, with all their professions of faith, and zeal 
for God, could pass by a wounded and dying 
brother, and leave him to perish in his gore. 

And so, the kind and the true in every age. — 
the men who have loved their fellows, and toiled 
earnestly and sincerely for human good, — what- 
ever may have been their names or creeds, are 
among the pure in heart; and upon them has 
rested the blessing of the text. They have seen 
God, and walked with him, from day to day, as 
Enoch of old. 

To attain this purity, it is indeed important, 
that we understand the great and leading truths 
of the Gospel, which reveal to man his nature, 
his relations to God and his fellows, his duty and 
his destiny ; because these will work like leaven 
in the heart, and purify the whole lump. He 



PURITY OF HEART. 



Ill 



who looks upon God as his Father, and upon man 
as his brother, and upon a pure and blessed heaven 
as his final home, will naturally imbibe the sen- 
timent of love to God, and good-will to man, and 
grow continually more pure, as he cherishes these 
ennobling views. He will habitually look up to 
God, as his best and most steadfast friend, and 
conform, more and more, to the Divine image, 
thus presented, as his ideal of all good. He will 
look upon the men with whom he associates, as 
his brethren, and heirs with him to an incorrupt- 
ible inheritance, and be preparing for a dwelling 
there. He will watch over his feelings with a 
tireless and sleepless vigilance, restrain every 
inordinate emotion, and subdue every boisterous 
passion. He will bid every pure sentiment a 
welcome to the inmost sanctuary of his soul. He 
will cherish all virtuous and pure principles, and 
permit no hallowed thought to depart from his 
mind, without leaving its impress there. And 
thus, he will constantly assimilate to the Divinity, 
grow in grace, and in all that is good and true, 
and be prepared to receive the blessing of the 
text 



112 



THE CROWN OF LIFE, 



Laws and codes of morals cannot give this 
purity of heart. Even the law of God, as given 
by Moses, could not insure it ; for the apostle 
says, it " could not make the comers thereunto 
perfect, as pertaining to the conscience." Nor is 
this purity to be obtained in a moment, or a day. 
Men may dream of purifications wrought in an 
hour, and in the heat of excited passion ; but the 
truth is, changes of this sort generally leave their 
subjects about as impure as they were before. I 
do not say, that men, under such circumstances, 
may not form good resolutions, and determine to 
commence seeking after purity of heart ; though 
it is to be feared, that the resolution is too often 
formed, rather from a slavish fear of punishment, 
or a mercenary hope of reward, than from a just 
appreciation of the intrinsic excellency of parity 
itself. However this may be, it is certain, that, 
purity of heart, like all of our most valued bless- 
ings, must result from exercise and toil. It is not 
a guest, that comes instantly at our bidding ; but 
it must be wooed, in order to be won. 

We need not sit down, and wait, with folded 
arms, in the vain hope, that, without an effort on 



PURITY OF HEART. 



113 



our part, there will some day come a supernatural 
influence, and purify our hearts, in the twinkling 
of an eve. But we must drink in the holy and 
life-erring truths of the Gospel. We must sub- 
due one after another of the turbulent passions — 
in God"s strength, pluck up the noxious weeds 
from the garden of the soul — cherish and nur- 
ture ail good feelings, and seek after good influ- 
ences ; and thus, by a long, and often a laborious 
course of culture and discipline, we must become 
pure in heart. And, in the work itself, we shall 
be cheered with brighter, and still brighter, visions 
of the excellent glory, as we advance in purity, 
until we come with open face to see God. Thus 
much upon the topic of purity of heart. 

II. We come, now, to speak of the blessing 
pronounced upon the pure in heart. 

" They shall see God." We are not, however, 
to understand, that we shall see him with our nat- 
ural eyes, or, that we shall see his form ; for he 
hath not body or parts, visible to those organs of 
sight. He is a spirit; and, if seen at all. it must 
be with the spiritual eye. We may so live — so 
elevate and improve eur spiritual natures — that 
10* 



114 



THE CROWS OF LIFE, 



we can commune with him from off the mercy- 
seat, and be as sensible of his Divine presence, 
as we are of that of a friend, when we talk with 
him, face to face. This it is to see God; and 
this perception of the Deity, as present and near 
to us. is for the pure in heart alone. For, 
although it is true, that God is vitally every- 
where, and that he is not far from even* one of 
us ; yet, it is the peculiar privilege of the pure 
in heart, to perceive his presence. The impure 
cannot so much as " feel after him, to find him." 

The reason for this will appear obvious, on a 
moment's reflection. It is no arbitrary arrange- 
ment, which locates God in a particular spot, and 
gives to some the privilege of approaching and 
looking at him, as they would look at a picture ; 
but it is a principle, that exists in the nature 
of things. All impurity — everything opposed 
to the spirit of Divine love — is a veil upon 
the heart, through which God cannot be seen, 
though " in him we live, and move, and have our 
being." That veil must be taken away, ere man 
can see him, face to face. The reason is, God 
is pure, and man can form no just or ade- 



PURITY OF HEART, 



115 



quate idea of purity, except by comparison with 
what he finds in himself. 

You have doubtless noticed, how readily, and 
I know not but I might say, unavoidably, you 
associate with God the feelings that you possess. 
Whether it be unavoidable, or not, the fact is 
certain, that all men do form their ideas of God, 
from the pattern of their own hearts. I do not 
say, that they never improve upon the pattern, 
and make gods better than themselves ; though 
it is to be feared, that they more often make them 
worse. But be that as it may, it is evident, that 
no man ascribes to God a principle, or a feeling, 
which does not dwell, in some degree, in his own 
heart. Were he to do so, in words, they would 
convey no definite idea to the mind. The soul 
could not see it, if it were in God. Hence we 
say, man can perceive, clearly, only so much of 
God, as he himself partakes of the Divine nature. 
All else is an unmeaning name, for an unknown 
thing. Suppose, for example, there was never in 
the human heart any such sentiment as benevo- 
lence. What possible idea could man form of 
the benevolence or love of God? Evidently, 



116 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

none. He might talk of it, but it would be a 
mere name, that would convey no definite idea to 
the mind — a name for an unknown something, 
that no man ever felt, or saw, or knew anything 
about. He might describe it ; but that would 
only give a new name to the same unknown 
thing. To know what benevolence is — to see it 
— we must first feel it in our own souls. Then, 
and not till then, can we understand its import, 
or detect its presence. Now, God is pure ; and 
when the question is asked, What is purity ? — 
the mind is thrown back upon itself. If it finds 
purity there, it knows what it means, and can see 
it in God. But if it finds it not, of what avail is 
a name applied to a thing, that never entered into 
the heart of man ? We may talk about it ; but 
we know it not. 

Take an illustration. Here is a man who was 
born blind, and whose eyes never saw the light 
of the sun. What possible idea can he form of 
light ? You may teach him, in w r ords, the phi- 
losophy of light, so that he shall be able to 
explain all its laws, and all its phenomena, as 
clearly as Newton himself; but, after all, he is 



PURITY OF HEART. 



117 



as profoundly ignorant of light, in itself, as the 
child unborn. He cannot see it. He cannot 
form the first correct idea of it ; for there is no 
light in him. And so it must be, until his eyes 
are opened, to behold the light around him. 

And so of the deaf man. He may be taught 
the whole science of music, so that he can 
explain all its theory. But, when all that is 
done, what does he know of the sweet harmony 
of sound ? Positively nothing. He has merely 
learned the names of things, of which he is, and, 
from the necessity of the case, must be, pro- 
foundly ignorant ; nor can he know them, until 
his ears are unstopped, and his soul is delighted 
with the inflowings of music. Then, and only 
then, will he know what music is. 

Again : The parent only, knows parental love. 
Others may talk of it, and portray its beauties in 
glowing colors ; or explain it, in the nicest meta- 
physical terms. But they know it not. Go and 
ask the mother, as she gazes, for the first time, 
upon the child of her love, and feels that the 
precious treasure is all her own ; and she will 
iell you, that fountains have been opened in her 



118 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



heart, which were sealed before, and feelings 
have grown up there, which were all unknown. 
She has talked of a mother's love ; she has read, 
and sung of its purity, and depth ; but now she 
knows, for the first time, what it is to love as a 
mother loves. 

So it is, in the case before us. God is pure, 
and the impure in heart cannot know him. Rea- 
son as they will, theorize as they may, there is, 
nevertheless, a veil upon their hearts, and they 
must be as ignorant of God, as the blind man of 
colors, until that veil is removed. 

But the pure in heart can see God. They 
have been made partakers of the Divine nature ; 
and, forming their ideal of God from the purity 
of their own hearts, the more pure they become, 
the more near do they approach, and the more 
clearly can they see God. 

To see God, then, is not, merely, to be able to 
describe his character ; but it is to feel commun- 
ion with his spirit, and partake of his Divine 
nature. Hence, the apostle says, " He that loveth, 
knoweth God ; and he that loveth not, knoweth 
not God : for God is love." And again: "He 
that loveth, dwelleth in God, and God in him." 



PURITY OF HEART. 



119 



Thus it appears, that there is a true philosophy 
in the text, which declares, that, " the pure in 
heart shall see God ; " for they only can see him. 
The man, who never felt aught, but hurtful pas- 
sions, knows not the meaning of that word, love. 
He, who has no purity in his own soul, compre- 
hends not the meaning of the word : you may 
portray, before him, the character of a pure 
and holy God, and he may gaze and wonder, but 
it must fall upon his ear like the soft strains of 
music upon the ears of the deaf, or like the 
morning's mellow rays upon the sightless eye- 
balls of the blind. 

No matter what a man's professions may be, 
or how orthodox the creed to which he has sub- 
scribed — except he be pure in heart, he cannot 
see God ; for he is seen, not through creeds, but 
through the heart. He may have a creed as 
long as the Koran, and expound its mysteries 
with the power of a son of thunder — he may 
pray like a saint, and preach like an apostle — 
he may be converted, and get religion after the 
most approved fashion ; but if his heart be not 
pure — if he does not feel like a child, and love 



120 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



like a brother — the veil is upon his vision, and 
he cannot see God. Wise though he may be, 
yet, the most unlettered man, whose heart is 
right, can teach him the first rudiments of the 
knowledge of God. 

III. Let it be observed, that seeing God is rep- 
resented as a precious privilege. 

" Blessed," or, rather, " happy, are the pure in 
heart : for they shall see God." Would we real- 
ize the value of this blessing, let us reflect for a 
moment. Who, that has heard of the great and 
the good of earth, does not desire to see them ? 
We have heard of Washington, the father of his 
country. Who would not deem it a blessed priv- 
ilege, to see the man who was " first in the hearts 
of his countrymen ? " Who would not gaze with 
delight upon that manly form, or listen to that 
voice, which commanded armies, or take hold of 
that hand, which bore the sword, right manfully, 
for the liberty of man ? 

I remember, too, his companion in arms, the 
good and the generous La Fayette, who left the 
blandishments of a court, and the home of his 
youth, and came to this wilderness, that he 



PURITY OF HEART. 



121 



might make bare his arm, in the cause of human 
rights. I remember, too, after long years of 
absence, some of them in prisons and dungeons, 
he came again, to visit the field of his youthful 
labors ; and how did our vast population rush 
with one accord to see him ! How eagerly did 
endless throngs crowd around him; and how 
happy did they feel, when they caught a glimpse 
of that aged frame, and benignant countenance, 
and knew it was indeed the man, who shed his 
blood for that blessed country they call their 
own ! 

So of the wise and good, who have gone before 
us. We would gladly see Abraham, as he pitched 
his tent of old ; or Moses, as he came down from 
the mount ; or David, as he sat upon the throne 
of Israel. How happy should we be to see Peter, 
as he was, upon the day of Pentecost, when three 
thousand were smitten by his words ! Or Paul, 
as he was, when he stood before Agrippa, and 
plead the cause of the Master with such power, 
that the stern ruler cried out, " Almost thou 
persuadest me to be a Christian ! " 

0, how blessed should we deem ourselves, to 
11 



122 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



stand in the midst of Jerusalem, and look upon 
Jesus, the beloved of God, as he moved, with 
words of love, and deeds of mercy, among the 

people ! 

So strong is this feeling, that an ardent desire 
is kindled to see the places where these worthies 
lived, and by it they become consecrated. What 
multitudes have gone to the Holy Land, that they 
might gaze upon the scenery made sacred by 
these hallowed memories of the pas., ! How has 
the heart leaped for joy, as the eyes have rested 
upon the tall cedars of Lebanon, the rocks of 
Horeb, or the still more dear and beloved mount, 
where the Saviour sat, as he uttered the blessed 
words of our text, and gave the benedictions with 
which it is connected ! And then, could the 
scene be filled up, and the Saviour, and the dis- 
ciples, be there, how r many souls would be wil- 
ling to say, as they gazed, "Lord, now r let thy 
servant depart in peace : for mine eyes have seen 
thy salvation." But these scenes, not many of 
us may be permitted to behold. And for those 
who labored there, they have gone from earth, 
and we cannot see them. 



PURITY OF HEART. 



123 



But we may, any of us, see God, who is greater 
and better than all ; and see him, too, every day 
of our lives. We have only to be pure in heart, 
and we shall see him; and, in the strength of that 
purity, we can lift the veil, that hides the holy of 
holies, and look with unclouded vision upon the 
Shekinah which dwelleth within. 

How blessed the privilege, thus vouchsafed to 
the frail and erring children of men ! Let us 
seek it diligently, as the pearl of great price, and 
feel, that a blessed boon is given us, in the fact, 
that, even while we tabernacle in the flesh, we 
may be permitted to see the Invisible and Eter- 
nal. 

It is a blessed thought, too, that the impure 
principles of our nature are not immortal, but 
are destined to die, and live no more. The Gos- 
pel has gone forth as a refiner's fire, and a fuller's 
soap. Jesus has kindled a fire, that shall not be 
quenched until it has consumed the hay, wood, 
and stubble, and a redeemed and purified world 
shall bend before the excellent glory, saying, 
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, who was, and is, 
and is to come, the Almighty ! 



SERMON VII. 



THE PEACE - MAKERS. 

Blessed are the peace-makers : for they shall be called the chil- 
dren of God. Matt. 5 : 9. 

Christianity is essentially a religion of peace. 
It comes to man, not with " banner, spear, and 
plume," but, with the olive-branch, the emblem 
of peace and good-will. It seeks to conquer, not 
by the sword, or the javelin, but by the mild and 
gentle influences of Divine love. In this light, 
the Messiah's kingdom was viewed, prospectively, 
by the ancient prophets ; and they seem to have 
turned, with peculiar delight, from the noise and 
din of war, which surrounded them, to contem- 
plate that distant era, when, under the reign of 
Israel's Hope and Consolation, the trumpet should 
no more summon the armed hosts to fields of car- 
nage and blood. Thus, Isaiah, in the spirit of 
prophetic vision, looked forward, and saw the day 
of the Lord, and said, " His name shall be called 



THE PEACE -MAKERS. 



125 



Wonderful Counsellor, The Mighty God, The 
Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of 
the increase of his government and peace, there 
shall be no end." " Behold, saith the Lord, I 
will extend peace like a river, and the glory of 
the Gentiles like a flowing stream." " And he 
shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke 
many people ; and they shall beat their swords 
into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning- 
hooks ; nation shall not lift up sword against 
nation, neither shall they learn war any more." 

These lessons from the olden days were not lost 
upon 'those who " waited for the consolation of 
Israel," at the time of the advent of our Saviour. 
Aged Simeon and Zecharias had caught their 
spirit, and saw, in the stranger of Bethlehem, " a 
light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his 
people Israel" — a messenger sent from God, " to 
show light to them that sat in darkness, and to 
guide their feet in the way of peace." 

The angels brought " good tidings of great joy, 
which should be unto all people," and the multi- 
tude of the heavenly host shouted, "Glory to 
11* 



126 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



God in the highest; on earth peace, good-will to 
men." 

The expectations thus raised, of the peaceful 
character of the approaching messenger of God, 
were fully realized in the event. The people of 
his native city " wondered at the gracious words 
which proceeded out of his mouth ;" and when he 
sent out his disciples to preach, he said : "Behold 
I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves ; 
be ye, therefore, wise as serpents, and harmless 
as doves ;" and he strictly charged them, saying, 
"Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace 
be to this house." And so, when he had preached 
peace to the world, and illustrated his precepts 
by an example of meekness and love, which ren- 
dered not "evil for evil, or railing for railing ;" 
he went his way, leaving his parting benediction 
in these blessed words, " Peace I leave with you ; 
my peace I give unto you." 

I have alluded to these Scriptures and facts, 
for the purpose of showing you, that this great 
feature of the Gospel stands out in bold relief, 
from whatever point of observation it is viewed. 
It appears, in the prophecy, in the expectation, in 



THE PEACE - MAKERS. 



127 



the announcement, in the teachings, in the life, 
and in the departure, of Christ ; thus presenting 
a unity and harmony, between the different scenes 
in this great drama, which can hardly be pre- 
sumed to consist, with anything else, but truth 
of Divine origin. 

In this light, also, it will be seen, how appro- 
priately the words of our text came from him of 
Nazareth, and how perfectly in keeping they are, 
with the character of one, who came as " The 
Prince of Peace." 

Of all beings that ever lived on earth, Jesus is 
the only one, that might say, in perfect consist- 
ency with all that had been said of him, and all 
that he had taught, and all that he was, " Blessed 
are the peace-makers : for they shall be called the 
children of God." They are words that could 
come, without self-reproach, from him, and him 
alone. 

I prefer, in a discussion of this text, to view 
it rather as a prophecy, than a declaration of 
what then was, so far as the peculiar blessing it 
pronounces is concerned. 

It is true, that the peace-maker is always 



128 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

blessed, in the calm consciousness of being en- 
gaged in the cause of righteousness, justice, and 
mercy. He is blessed, in view of the terrible 
evils he averts, and of the vast good he secures, 
to his fellow-men; and, more than all, in the 
knowledge, that he has the approbation of his 
own conscience, and of his God. The blessings 
of peace, which are neither few nor small, come 
to him with a holier and sweeter influence, be- 
cause he feels, that they are, in some measure, 
the fruit of his own toil — the reward which God 
bestows upon his labors of love. 

Consider for a moment the evils, that flow 
from a spirit of strife and contention. Begin with 
the family circle, which ought to be the nearest 
approximation to the harmony of heaven, that 
earth affords. It is a blessed place, when peace 
dwells there. Parents and children, brothers and 
sisters, live in the interchange of mutual confi- 
dence and love, and in the exercise of all those 
tender and holy feelings and duties, which so 
exalt and ennoble human nature, and serve to 
ally us, while here below, to a higher and better 
sphere. But let strife and contention begin, and 



THE PEACE-MAKERS. 



129 



the streams of bliss are poisoned at the fountain. 
The holy sanctuary of domestic affection becomes 
a theatre of malignant war, a place for the dis- 
play of every angry passion ; and home is a hell 
in very deed, than which, a deeper or hotter 
burns not, in this world of sin and sorrow. There 
is a blessing for that man, who calms these tur- 
bulent elements — lights again the sacred fire 
upon the domestic altar, and introduces concord 
and harmony, where all was discord and confu- 
sion ; and from homes thus redeemed from the 
hands of the spoiler, there goes up many a prayer, 
for Heaven's benediction upon the head of him, 
by whom the storm has been laid. 

Extend your view; and, "Behold how good 
and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell 
together in unity," upon a larger scale. Happy 
is that neighborhood, or city, whose inhabitants 
live in peace, with one another. The social cir- 
cle is harmonious and joyful, and there flows, 
from heart to heart, a genial spirit, which makes 
even the most inhospitable climate pleasant and 
agreeable. A holy and peaceful calm settles 
down upon such a community. The very air 



130 



THE CROWN OF LIFE . 



seems more genial, the skies more bright, and the 
earth more green and beautiful. But let strife 
begin, and how soon is all the scene changed ! 
Envy, malice, and revenge, commence their 
dreadful work. Angry words, and malignant 
actions, abound. Friend passes friend with 
averted countenance, and all the charities and 
civilities of life are lost, in the general uproar of 
confusion ; and that quiet and blissful scene is 
changed to a Babel of miserable war and fighting. 
Surely, there is a blessing, for that man, who 
hushes these angry passions, and restores peace 
to these troubled waters. 

When the excitement of passion is over, and 
men see the folly that has passed, and enjoy the 
blessedness of peace restored, they will call him 
a child of God indeed, by whom this deliverance 
was wrought. 

Extend your view, still further ; and the prin- 
ciple is the same. Here is a great nation, 
blessed of God, in some important respects, above 
all the nations of the earth. It is at peace with 
the world. How rapid is its onward march ! 
How do the arts and sciences nourish, and every 



THE PEACE - MAKERS. 



131 



improvement of mind and manners abound ! 
And how does it soar upward, upon unfaltering 
pinions, towards a destiny higher, and more glo- 
rious, than has ever been achieved by any nation 
of the earth ! But let war begin, either within, 
or without. Let the people of this nation be 
divided, and contending among themselves — the 
north at variance with the south, and the south 
striving against the north ; — let this continue, 
and ere long, the stars shall fade from the escutch- 
eon of our country's glory, and all our free and 
cherished institutions shall be changed to curses, 
instead of blessings. Yv r ith sorrow be it said, 
we are treading upon the fearful verge of this 
precipice ; and while, as a great people, we ought 
to dwell in harmony, and labor for the redemption 
of a world, we are engaged in angry altercations, 
and hot strife, with the members of our own 
household. I say not, with the fallen angel of 
the poet's brain, "My voice is still for war;" but, 
feeble as it may be, it is for peace. And if there 
is, in this mighty republic, a man, a statesman, or 
an orator, who has power to control the elements 
of strife, and quell this angry storm, let him gird 



132 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



himself to the work. Let his calm voice be 
heard, in our halls of legislation, above the fury 
of the tempest, and the angry tones of aspiring 
demagogues, pleading for the things that make 
for peace ; and, if he shall be successful in hush- 
ing the tumult, and in restoring harmony to this 
great and blessed family, as God is true, he shall 
win for himself, a blessing and a name, that 
mortal man has rarely won. For it was, and is, 
and ever shall be true, that the peace-maker is 
blessed above the ordinary measure of men. 

Or, look again, aud see a mighty nation lifting 
the ponderous sword, for war with other nations. 
What dire calamity on earth can equal this? 
What an expenditure of toil and treasure ! What 
awful scenes of strife ! What fields, strewed with 
the wounded and slain, and groaning under the 
burden of their dead ! What ghastly wounds, 
and disfigured and mutilated bodies of our fel- 
low-men ! What hardening of the human heart, 
and obliterating the image of God from the 
human soul ! What fathers, husbands, and 
brothers dead ; mothers, wives, and sisters de- 
serted and comfortless ! What widows, weeping 



THE PEACE-MAKERS. 133 

in the loneliness of untimely bereavement, and 
orphans, bewailing in helpless sorrow, the loved 
and the lost! What an awful amount of sin, 
deep and damning before God, crying for ven- 
geance ! What tears faLing, blood streaming, 
and hearts breaking, crowd into the dismal pic- 
ture, of nations at war ! O ! if ever man serves 
God, it is in preventing these sore and dreadful 
evils ! And if there is an employment, worthy 
of the highest angel, or one that exalts man to 
the dignity of a child of the God of love, it is 
that of the peace-maker. And if there is a man, 
blessed above all others, in the consciousness of 
duty done, and of the approbation of God him- 
self, it is the man, w T ho has stood as a minister of 
peace and good-will, and rolled back the tide of 
strife and war. 

Thus much is, and ever has been, true of the 
peace-maker ; and of these blessings he cannot be 
robbed. 

It is also true, that the peculiar blessing of the 
text has come upon his head, in some good 
degree. A grateful people, relieved from the 
burdens and horrors of war, have often blessed 
12 



134 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



him ; and the wise and the good have hailed him, 
as a child of God. 

But not, as yet, has the united voice of the 
world, or the common sentiment of the race, 
called the peace-makers the children of God. 
And therefore it is, that I would consider this 
part of the text, rather as a prophecy, of what 
shall be, than a declaration of what now is, or 
has been the fact. 

I would look upon it as an indication, that 
there is a time coming, when the spirit of the 
Gospel shall so pervade and sanctify the human 
heart, that man shall look upon war, as it really 
is, a system of legalized murder, and wholesale 
butcher}', repugnant alike to the laws of God, 
and the good of man ; and shall regard the peace- 
makers as the greatest benefactors of their race, 
and call them the children of God. 

It requires but a slight acquaintance with the 
world, to know that, thus far, its history is a 
record of war and strife ; and, while the road to 
honor and renown has been through fields of 
battle, and scenes of blood, those who have labored 
for peace have been rejected, and often despised, 



THE PEACE - MAKERS. 



135 



by the world. It is a melancholy truth, thus far, 
in the history of the world, that those names 
which are remembered, and emblazoned upon the 
historic page, as exalted above the ordinary 
masses of men, are the names of those, who 
have been conspicuous in war. 

In early times, it was not the peace-maker, but 
the warrior, who was called a child of God. Nay, 
worse, he was deified and worshipped as a god. 
A large number of the gods, that claimed the 
adoration of the ancients, were but the heroes of 
battles, who fought valiantly, when alive ; and 
who, after death, were deified, and made the 
objects of worship, as being exalted to a rank 
among the gods. And so, for ages, among the 
civilized and enlightened nations, even those who 
have professed the Christian religion, the cher- 
ished idols of the people have been men of war ; 
and to those, who have wielded the sword most 
successfully, has been given the highest meed of 
praise, as well as the loftiest and most command- 
ing position, among the great of the earth. 

Until this day, much of this spirit remains ; and 
the people are ready to crown with laurels, and 



136 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



greet with, the highest honors, those who have 
been men of war, from their youth. Military 
glory eclipses and outshines services rendered by 
those who toil in the paths of peace ; and those 
who are exalted to the highest stations, are the 
heroes of many battles. 

That our own country is not exempt from this 
feeling, is evident from the fact, that, four times 
within the last quarter of a century, has military 
glory proved an overmatch for civil services, in 
asserting, before our people, its claim to the high- 
est post of honor in their gift. I suppose it is no 
political heresy, in the eyes of either party, to 
say, that Jackson, twice, and Harrison and Tay- 
lor, each once, have been elevated, by the free 
suffrages of the people, to the Presidency of these 
United States, by the prestige of their military 
fame; and that, but for the scenes of death 
enacted at New Orleans, Tippecanoe, Monterey, 
and Buena Vista, there is not much probability, 
that either of them would have filled that honor- 
able station. 

Of the men, as men, or as politicians, 1 have 
nothing to say, except, that they were all, no 



THE PEACE - MAKERS. 



137 



doubt, true friends of their country, and lovers 
of her institutions. They were not, like many 
of the ancient heroes, petty chieftains, or abso- 
lute monarchs, who got up wars on their own 

account, and for their own emolument or amuse- 
» 

ment ; nor is the sin of war chargeable upon 
them, more than upon other citizens. 

They were but a part of the great body, that 
engaged in the war. The soul, which moved that 
gigantic body, and upon which rests the guilt, is 
in the people. As, in the case of capita] punish- 
ment, the executor of the law is but a part of the 
machinery, by which the will of the people is 
carried out, and you may as well charge the 
guilt of blood upon the gibbet, as the hangman ; 
so, in this case, the warrior is but the executor 
of the nation's will ; and it is unjust to make him 
the scape-goat, to bear the whole burden of the 
sin, of which the people are guilty. 

Neither have I a word to say against the poli- 
tics, or the measures, of these men. The pulpit 
may as well pass these matters in silence, and 
leave them to politicians and the press. But 
the pulpit has something to do, and it is bound to 
12» 



I3S 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



speak, in reference to that awfully perverted moral 
sense, which, originating in ages of violence and 
blood, has flowed down to the present ; and, in 
this land of Gospel light, has so vitiated the spir- 
itual perceptions of twenty millions of people, 
that their eyes are dazzled, and their hearts 
captivated, with glory won in the tented field, 
where every precept and principle of the Gospel 
of peace is most ruthlessly trampled under foot. 
Not, that these men have been elevated ; that 
is a small matter. For aught I know, they have 
performed their duties, as well as any other men 
could have performed them. But the general 
prevalence, among the people, of a spirit, which 
thus elevates and worships martial prowess, — th 
solemn and lamentable truth, which is here man- 
ifested, that a Christian people have learned so 
little of the spirit of the " Prince of Peace," that 
they are yet ready to " crook the pregnant hinges 
of the knee," and bow with humblest devotion at 
the shrine of the Juggernaut of war, — this is 
what the pulpit may well reprove ; and this is 
the only truth, I wish to bring out, by the allu- 
sions here made. I desired to fix your atten- 



THE PEACE-MAKERS. 139 

lion upon this one fact, so obviously manifested, 
that exaltation and honor are, yet, most readily 
accorded to those, who engage in the toil and 
carnage of war. Glory, thus won, captivates the 
public mind, and so dazzles the eyes of the peo- 
ple, that, if they do not make gods of their heroes, 
they do, nevertheless, elevate them, as near as 
their power will permit, to the dignity of sons of 
God. 

Hence the conclusion, that the day of the 
dominion of the Prince of Peace, when the 
peace-makers shall, by the unanimous voice of 
the world, be called children of God, has not yet 
arrived. The Gospel has not so subdued the tur- 
bulent passions, or curbed the ambition of man, 
vaulting ever to the skies, that he is willing to 
gite to toil, in the cause of peace and good-will, 
its true position, in the scale of honor, or accord 
to the peace-maker the dignity, that belongs to 
the children of God. 

But I take the text to be an intimation, that 
such a time will surely come. " Of the increase 
of the government and peace" of the Saviour, 
" there shall be no end." His Gospel shall go 



140 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



onward, and still onward, exerting its refining 
and purifying influence upon the human heart, 
until war, in all its forms, shall be detested, a? 
a body of sin and death, which has hung like a 
mill-stone about the neck of poor humanity, and 
crippled its energies, and destroyed its power for 
good — a huge monster, which has devoured the 
substance of man, and given him nothing, in 
return, but misery and death. 

Then, shall the royal law of love be acknowl- 
edged, as the first and highest of all laws ; and 
obedience to that, shall be considered as the 
purest obedience man can render unto God. 
Then, shall men " beat their swords into plough- 
shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks : 
nation shall no more lift up sword against nation, 
neither shall they learn war any more ;" and then 
shall it be seen, that, to promote peace on earth, 
and good-w T ill to men, is the most godlike em- 
ployment of man upon the earth. Then, too, will 
men look back upon the most polished warfare, as 
we look upon the contentions of savage hordes, or 
the trained gladiators, who marred God's image 
for the amusement of a blood-greedy multitude ; 



THE PEACE - MAKERS. 141 

and they will bless the memory of the martyrs 
of peace, and call them children of God, because 
in them they will see the Divine image reflected, 
and the Divine work going on, as it is not seen, 
in the mass of mankind. 

Let the Christian, then, learn ** to seek peace, 
and pursue it." Let him remember the position 
with which we started, and which it has been 
our object to illustrate and enforce — that Chris- 
tianity is essentially a religion of peace. Let his 
conversation be as " becometh the Gospel of 
peace and thus, will he secure to his own 
soul, the benediction of the Saviour, which saith, 
i ' Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall 
be called the children of God." 



SERMON VIII. 



THE EFFECTS OF PERSECUTION. 

Blessed are they, which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: 
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, 
and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 

Matt. 5: 10, 11. 

The last clause of this text, is but a specific 
application, to the disciples, of a general princi- 
ple, indicated in the first. The general rule is, 
that there is a blessing for those, who are perse- 
cuted for righteousness' sake ; and, in accordance 
with that rule, the disciples were to consider 
themselves blessed, when persecution assailed 
them, in the form of revilings, and all manner of 
false accusations against them, on account of 
their attachment to the name, and the cause, of 
Christ. It is to be observed, that persecution is 
not, of itself, a blessing ; nor are revilings and 
accusations desirable, in themselves considered. 
The former proves a blessing, only, when it is 
endured for righteousness' sake ; and the latter 
are profitable, only, when they are false. 



THE EFFECTS OF PERSECUTION. 143 

It is not for a man to court opposition, and 
tempt his adversaries to violence, for the sake of 
securing sympathy, under the plea of persecu- 
tion ; because this is suffering for unrighteous- 
ness, and brings no blessing to the soul. Hence, 
an apostle says, " For what glory is it, if 
when ye suffer for your faults, ye take it pa- 
tiently ? but if, when ye do well, and suffer 
for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable 
with God." The blessing of the text is not 
pronounced upon those who suffer, for their 
faults, but upon those who steadfastly adhere 
to righteousness, and are persecuted on that 
account. And so, in what follows, the word 
falsely is very important and emphatic. There 
is no blessing in having evil things said of us, if 
they are true ; nor is there pleasure or profit, in 
being reviled, if we deserve it. But if evil things 
are said of us, falsely, then the consciousness 
of innocence will sustain us, and the accusation 
itself may prove a blessing to us, in the form of a 
trial of our faith and patience. I dwell not, how- 
ever, upon these particulars ; for the distinctions 



144 



THE CKOWN OF LIFE, 



already made, are sufficiently obvious, to be 
remembered. 

The general topic, to which it is the object of 
the present discourse to direct attention, is, the 
blessedness of suffering in the cause of truth and 
duty. 

Infinite wisdom has seen fit so to order his gov- 
ernment, that the world will " love its own," and 
hate that which is opposed to its principles and 
practices ; and the result is expressed in the irre- 
versible law of Divine Providence, that, while 
the world remains, as it ever has been, " they 
that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer 
persecution." But in this, as in all other cases, 
God overrules the evil for good, and makes the 
persecution itself, to subserve the best interests of 
those, that are exercised thereby. How it is so 
overruled, and tuhat are the blessings, which thus 
accrue to the righteous soul, are matters for our 
present investigation. 

Let it be observed, in the outset, that, in the 
economy of God, all human excellency, and all 
of grace or virtue, that man possesses, are the 
results of labor and discipline, Nothing of true 



THE EFFECTS OF PERSECUTION. 145 

worth comes to man spontaneously, or unsought. 
It is so with our physical nature. The body- 
grows to its full vigor, and is developed in full 
strength, only by exercise and labor. For this 
reason, the earth is not a blooming garden, where 
fruits grow spontaneously, and man has nothing 
to do, but sit down, in listless inactivity, and roll 
upon couches of ease, or beds of down. Were it 
so, he would become a puling drone, and all his 
physical powers would soon deteriorate, waste, 
and decay. Hence, God has so made the earth, 
that there are granite rocks, as well as mellow 
soil, and thorns and thistles, as well as fruits and 
flowers ; and thus, there is a constant and impe- 
rious call for that exercise and toil, by which the 
body is compacted, and all the physical powers 
are developed. 

Precisely so it is with man's moral and spirit- 
ual nature. They need, and must have exercise, 
and labor, in order to develop their powers ; and 
hence, the necessity of the stern conflicts, through 
which we must pass. Their mission to the soul, 
is as important as that of physical struggles, to 
the body. Thus, there is a work for perseci;» 
13 



146 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

tion, and a blessing- flowing from it, to those who 
pass through its fiery ordeal. Under its influ- 
ence, the virtues of the true followers of Christ 
are developed, matured, and strengthened — the 
soul beautifies and grows, in all that is good and 
great. 

Men, in ordinary speech, would hardly call a 
man a veteran soldier, who had never been tried 
upon the battle-field. Nor can it be expected, 
that a man shall be entitled to the appellation of 
a " good soldier of the Cross," until he has met 
his enemies, faced the storm, and tried his skill 
and strength, against the foes of his peace. Shall 
we descend to a few particulars ? 

I. Persecution will test the strength, and de- 
velop the energies, of faith. 

It is an easy thing for a man to adhere to 
truth, and duty, when it is popular so to do. 
When friends smile, and the world cheers with 
its plaudits, and encourages with its rewards, a 
man of small faith, or no faith at all, may be 
found on the side of truth, and engaged in works 
of duty. But it is another matter, when friends 
entice, and the world frowns. When our fellows 



THE EFFECTS OF PERSECUTION. 147 

stand ready to revile, and to say all manner of 
evil ; the arm of persecution uplifts the sword 
to smite us down, and duty is to be done at the 
sacrifice of all the world calls good and great ; 
then it requires the exercise of a firm and unfal- 
tering faith, to enable a man to do the right, and 
pursue the true, and leave the consequences with 
God. 

Blessed is that man, who abides the ordeal ; for 
he shall come out of it as gold from the furnace, 
the stamp of the great assayer upon his soul, and 
all his virtues shining the brighter, for the trial 
through which he has passed. Moreover, he will 
find, that his strength is increased, and that he is, 
in himself, the stronger, and the better man, for 
the conflict in which he has engaged. He will 
meet the next trial with a firmer faith, and a 
truer heart, and feel less severely the next storm, 
that may beat upon him. 

The apostle iPaul, in his epistle to the Romans, 
has drawn out a beautiful statement, of the effects 
of trials, upon the believing soul, as follows : 
« "\\r e glory in tribulation also, knowing, that 
tribulation worketh patience, and patience expe- 



148 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



rience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not 
ashamed." 

The train of thought thus suggested is worthy 
of heing pursued ; for, it will lead us to a con- 
templation of the blessedness of those who suffer 
for righteousness' sake. 

II. Tribulation worketh patience. 

In a world of alternate sunshine and storm. -— 
a world whose vicissitudes we cannot control, and 
where the good man must, as the Saviour did, " en- 
dure contradiction of sinners," — man has need 
of a good share of that virtue, which characterized 
the man of Uz, which bends to the gale, and, in 
every storm, bows in submission to the Divine 
will, and calmly waits for a brighter sun and a 
clearer sky. And this great virtue is best and 
most thoroughly taught in the school of adver- 
sity. 

In every department of human life, you may 
see the truth of the position here assumed. Take 
the man who has been reduced from affluence to 
poverty, and, at first, you shall find him restless 
and impatient, distrustful and unhappy, murmur- 
ing and repining at his lot. But as time passes 



THE EFFECTS OF PERSECUTION. 149 

on, and misfortunes thicken around him, you 
shall find, that he becomes more patient. Strength 
of endurance is given him — his soul is armed 
with fortitude, and he endures without a mur- 
mur, and in patient resignation, what would have 
driven him to distraction, before he had learned 
patience from the things suffered. 

Take, again, the man, who has enjoyed firm 
and perfect health. Let but a slight disease 
come upon him, and you will find him impatient 
and restless, under the sufferings he endures. 
But, let sickness lay its hand heavily upon him, 
and confine him, for a long time, to a bed of lan- 
guishing, and you shall see, that tribulation has 
wrought its work of patience upon him. Now, 
you may watch by his bedside, through long and 
sleepless nights of agony, and find him enduring 
without a murmur, or a complaint, sufferings 
which you would not have supposed him capable 
of enduring, for an hour. While you admire the 
patient spirit, and muse upon the beauty of such 
a virtue, it is well to remember, that it has been 
wrought out in the school of suffering, and that, 
so only, can a patient spirit be developed. 
13* 



150 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

It is so with the man who suffers persecution. 
Let there be an evil report, first whispered against 
him, and you will find him kindling with indig- 
nation against the originator of the foul calumny, 
and burningwith impatience to vindicate his name, 
or his honor, and hurl vengeance upon the head 
of his accuser. Then let persecution, in a more 
tangible form, assail him, and you will see him, 
roused like a lion from his lair. He will roundly 
assert his rights, and, it may be, defend himself 
in the same spirit in which he is assailed, and 
wonder that God permits, and, perhaps, complain 
that he allows, such violations of all that appears 
to be just and true. He will rush, with headlong 
zeal, into the contest, and rest not until the vic- 
tory is won. But let him alone. " The race is 
not always with the swift, nor the battle to the 
strong," is a lesson he has yet to learn. He is 
in a good school ; and he will learn, by and by, 
that it is best to be patient, and endure what 
cannot be cured. 

Let him still adhere to truth and righteous- 
ness. Let men revile him, and say all manner 
of evil against him. Let the storm of persecu* 



THE EFFECTS OF PERSECUTION. 151 

tion beat long upon him, and thunder loud around 
him. Let his name be cast out as evil, and the 
world frown upon him ; and you shall find him 
calm and steadfast, smiling amid the tempest, 
hopeful and trustful, in circumstances the most 
trying to human fortitude. He has learned, that 
offences must needs come. He has been taught, 
how frail and erring is man, and can pity and for- 
give, where he would, but a short time ago, most 
harshly condemn. He has discovered, that there 
is a jewel more precious than all, of which the 
world cannot rob him ; and that, not even perse- 
cution can take from him that peace of conscience, 
that " soul's calm sunshine and heartfelt joy," 
which comes from integrity of heart, and steadfast 
adherence to that which is good. And thus it is 
manifest, that tribulation worketh patience. Thus, 
also, does it appear, that they are blessed who are 
persecuted for righteousness' sake, from the fact, 
that they are thus enabled, in patience, to possess 
their souls, and calmly to lean upon God for pro- 
tection and support, and wait for his deliverance 
to come. 

III. Patience worketh experience. 



152 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



It has been well said, that " experience is the 
best schoolmaster." But the lessons of this great 
teacher are not taught in a day, or an hour ; nor 
are they learned by intuition. He that would 
avail himself of the wisdom of experience, must 
arm himself with a good share of patience, and 
must wait ; and, if need be, suffer long, in the 
acquisition of the treasure he covets. The wis- 
dom of age is not for the child, in his youth, nor 
can the experience of a life be gathered in a few 
brief days or nights. It is by patiently " endur- 
ing the cross, and despising the shame," that we 
become the experienced and veteran soldiers of 
Christ. 

It is so, in everything. He who would win to 
himself the treasures of a wide and diversified 
experience, in any department of the arts and 
sciences, must first make up his mind to be pa- 
tient — to meet difficulty after difficulty, and 
remove obstacle after obstacle, and learn wisdom 
little by little. Would a man be an experienced 
and skilful navigator ? He cannot sit down at his 
ease, and become so in an hour. He must go 
out upon the boisterous sea, and sail in long and 



THE EFFECTS OF PERSECUTION. 153 



wearisome voyages. He must patiently meet 
adverse winds, and furious storms, and, through 
long toilsome years, brave the dangers of the 
"mighty deep ;" for thus, and thus only, can he 
secure the advantages of a ripe and varied expe- 
rience. And so, of the healing art. A full and 
useful experience can only be obtained, by an 
exercise of the virtue of patience. A man must 
sit by the bed of the sick, move in the taint and 
infection of the lazar-house, mark every symp- 
tom and development ft" disease, and patiently 
endure the petulance and peevishness of the sick 
and the weak ; for thus, only, can he obtain that 
experience, which is necessary to lead him up to 
eminence in his profession. And so, of the me- 
chanic and the farmer, and the men of every 
trade and profession. Would they become skil- 
ful, and experienced, they must be patient and 
persevering 

So, also, it is in matters of a religious charac- 
ter. The man who would be wise, in things 
Divine, and avail himself of the blessedness of a 
wide and diversified experience, which shall pre- 
pare him for every duty, and every emergency, 



154 



THE CROWN OF LIFE 



must call to his aid, all the patience of the Gos- 
pel, and prepare to endure, that he may learn 
wisdom from the things which he suffers. Thus, 
only, can a man secure experience. 

Moreover, the lessons of experience are well- 
nigh lost upon the man, who is restless and im- 
patient. His mind is absorbed in the contempla- 
tion of the ills he suffers, and in the impatience 
of delay ; and he thus fails to lay up the lessons, 
that speak to him from the scenes through which 
he passes. And thus* his experience becomes 
merely nominal ; for it adds, neither to his store 
of wisdom or virtue. But the patient man is, in 
all the scenes of life, in a frame of mind to seize 
upon, and treasure up, all the teachings of his 
experience ; to interrogate every trial, danger, 
and difficulty, and engrave upon his heart the 
lesson of truth and duty, there taught ; and thus, 
to enlarge the sphere of his knowledge, and pre- 
pare himself for yet more efficient labors, in the 
great field of the Gospel of Christ. 

IV. Experience worketh hope. 

It is a blessed truth, that the lessons of human 
experience are lessons of hopefulness and trust in 



THE EFFECTS OF PERSECUTION. 155 

the Lord. From the evils of life, God is contin- 
ually evolving good, and the man of long experi- 
ence -will hope often, where others would despair. 

Let a passenger, to a distant land, sail in a 
ship, upon the ocean. There comes a storm; 
the winds blow wild and bleak ; the ocean is 
troubled, and the waves run high ; and it would 
seem, that the frail bark must be swallowed up 
in the deep, and all on board go down to a 
watery grave. How now will fear sit upon the 
countenance of a stranger to such a scene, and 
his heart be filled with apprehensions of death, 
far from the habitations of men ! But behold 
the toil-worn and weather-beaten veteran of the 
ocean. His face is unblanched with fear. He 
treads the reeling deck of the rearing, plunging 
vessel beneath him, with a firm step, and a steady 
nerve ; and his kindling eye is bright with hope, 
and his countenance serene as a summer morn- 
ing. And why ? He has been there before. He 
has braved many a tempest, and many a storm. 
He has seen the wild commotion of the troubled 
waters ; and listened often to the moaning music 
of the winds, as they have swept through the 



156 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



shrouds, and played with the hoary locks, upon 
the crest of the mountain waves. Experience 
has been his teacher, and has taught him to hope ; 
ay, and he does hope, where your heart and mine 
would fail, in the gloom of despair. 

This is but a picture of human life ; for its 
waters are not all placid, nor its skies serene and 
bright. On the contrary, there are storms of 
affliction, that often rise ; and waves of sorrow, 
that threaten, oft, to overwhelm and destroy us. 
The man of weak faith and limited experience, 
when first he confronts these evils, is apt to faint 
and fail. He sees affliction come upon him, and 
feels, that its deep waters are around him, and 
fears take hold upon him, that he shall sink, to 
rise no more. 

Or, persecution raises her sword, and threatens 
to destroy. She " lets slip the dogs of war," and 
her minions encompass him on every side ; and 
menace him with the loss of all, the world calls 
good and great. He sees his way hedged up 
about him, and forgetting, that there is light 
and help for him, above, his heart sinks, and his 
spirit dies within him. But the old soldier of 



THE EFFECTS OF PERSECUTION. 157 

the cross stands there, with heavenward eye, and 
cheerful hope ; firm as a rock, unmoved by the 
presence or the approach of danger. 

The reason is, he has been there before, and 
experience has taught him, that " the Lord will 
deliver." Let affliction come. He has buffeted 
these waters before. Yea, heavily have evils 
pressed upon him. Under them God has sup- 
ported him, and out of them, he has delivered 
him ; and all his experience, of the past, bids 
him hope for the future. Let persecution frown 
and rage, and put on her most threatening aspect; 
it moveth him not ; but, girt in the omnipotence 
of truth and righteousness, he stands there, ready 
to do, and dare, to suffer, and, if need be, to die, 
upon the altar of his God and Saviour. Experi- 
ence has taught him, that God's arm is not short- 
ened that it cannot save, and that he will stand 
by, and defend, and protect, those who put their 
trust in him. 

And, so it is, with all the experience of the 
world. It is full of all the blessedness of hope. 
Six" thousand years of experience, of man upon 
the earth, have demonstrated the truth, that 
14 



158 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



" There 's a divinity that shapes our ends, 
Rough hew them as we will." 

It has proved, that God himself, with all the 
power of his mighty arm, and all the perfections 
of his nature, is on the side of righteousness ; 
and that in his name, truth and virtue are an 
overmatch, for all the legions which sin and false- 
hood can muster into the field against them. 
Thus, it is, that experience worketh hope. 

V. Hope maketh not ashamed. 

The Gospel of Jesus was despised of the 
world ; and its professors were exposed to the 
" slow contempt of Scorn's unmoving finger." Of 
him, the great, and the mighty of the earth were 
ashamed; and the wise men would scorn to learn 
of one so low, in the estimation of men. Not so 
with those, whose souls were fired with the inspi- 
rations of hope. They were cheered in every diffi- 
culty, sustained in every trial, and made bold in 
every conflict, even in the midst of reviling, contu- 
mely, and reproach, by the bright hope of a victory, 
at last, and an inheritance which is incorruptible, 
undenled, and fadeth not away. Hope maketh 
not ashamed, because the love of God is shed 



THE EFFECTS OF PERSECUTION. 159 

abroad in the heart that trusteth in him; and 
that which a man loveth, and hopeth in, he will 
not blush to own, or be ashamed to acknowledge. 

Behold, then, the blessedness of those, who are 
persecuted for righteousness' sake ! Faith, the 
blessed supporter, comforter, and guide, is tried 
and perfected. Patience, which suffers long, and 
meekly endures hardship, without murmurings or 
repining; experience, rich in lessons of wisdom, 
to direct in every day of difficulty, or danger ; 
hope, flowing from experience, and leaning upon 
God ; great boldness and confidence, which is not 
ashamed of truth or of duty ; — these are tbe bless- 
ings, which come down upon the souls, that falter 
not, but endure persecution for righteousness' 
sake. Theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. They 
give the best possible evidence of submission to 
the reign of God, and show forth, the most clearly, 
that " the kingdom of God, which is righteousness, 
peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost," is set up in 
their hearts. May that blessed kingdom be ours 
now and forever. Amen. 



SERMON IX. 



CONTENTMENT. 

Take, therefore, no thought for the morrow : for the morrow shall 
take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the 
evil thereof. Matt. 6 : 34. 

It is a distinguishing feature of the religion of 
Christ, that it seeks to reconcile man to the pres- 
ent, by giving him bright and cheering views of 
the future. Other systems labor to excite fears 
and doubts, in reference to the morrow, and to 
point out means for escaping the evils with which 
it is stored. But Christianity endeavors to inspire 
men's hearts, with a calm and holy confidence in 
God, as a being in whom all their real interests 
are permanently and forever safe. " Let not 
your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God : 
believe also in me," was the exhortation of its 
Divine author ; and by an appeal to the works 
and ways of God, in creation and providence, he 
sought to calm each rising fear, and hush each 
anxious doubt to peaceful rest. " Behold the 



CONTENTMENT. 



161 



fowls of the air. They sow not, neither do they 
reap, nor gather into barns ; yet, your heavenly 
Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better 
than they ? Consider the lilies of the field, how 
they grow ; they toil not, neither do they spin ; 
and yet, I say unto you, that even Solomon, in 
all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. 
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, 
which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the 
oven, shall he not much more clothe you, 0 ye 
of little faith?" 

These are the teachings of the blessed Saviour; 
and thus, did he seek to raise men's thoughts from 
earth to heaven, and induce them to seek peace 
and contentment, in a calm and steadfast reliance 
upon the unwearied care, and never-failing pro- 
tection, of their God. 

It should be observed, however, that there is 
an evil to be avoided, on both sides of this subject. 
Nearly all virtues are nearly allied to vices, and 
the one frequently degenerates into the other. 
Prudence is a commendable virtue ; and the wise 
man has well said, " The prudent man foreseeth 
the evil, and avoideth it ; but the thoughtless pass 
14* 



162 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



on and are punished." But, that virtue which 
we call prudence, and which is in itself so desir- 
able, and valuable, is not far removed from a 
distrustful and miserable anxiety about the future, 
at once destructive of all present enjoyment, and 
all trustfulness in the Divine care and protection. 

The man in whom prudence has thus degen- 
erated into doubt, and anxious fear, lives in a 
perpetual alarm. He has no gratitude for, or 
power to enjoy, present blessings, on account of 
his distressing anxieties about the future. And 
in this case, as in many others, the first sin be- 
comes the occasion of many more, which follow 
in its train. In the spirit of miserly avarice, this 
man clutches gold with an eager grasp, and, " To 
the clink of Mammon's box, gives most rapacious 
heed," and justifies all sorts of dishonesty and 
rapacity, by the plea, that prudence requires him 
to take timely thought, and lay up a store for the 
future. 

Now, the argument of the Saviour is aimed at 
this abuse, rather than the use of common pru- 
dence. It decries not, that spirit of wisdom which 
exercises a wise forethought, and which is grateful 



CONTENTMENT. 



163 



for the present, while it does its duty in regard 
to the future ; but, it disapproves and condemns, 
that rascally, all-devouring prude?ice, as it is 
falsely called, which has no faith in God, or 
humanity, and which, in the excess of its scepti- 
cism, relies alone upon self, and cries, day and 
night, Give, give ; but, like the grave, is never 
satisfied with receiving. The former of these, is 
a Christian virtue ; but the latter justly ranks 
among the most miserable and guilty vices. 

To command man not to think of the future at 
all, would be to enjoin an impossibility ; for we 
can no more avoid looking into the future, than 
we can cease to remember the past. The mean- 
ing of the text, when liberally construed, seems 
to be, that we should take no anxious, distrustful 
thought for the morrow; but, confiding in that 
God, who feeds the fowls of the air, and decks 
the lilies of the field, thankfully enjoy the pres- 
ent, rejoicing in the hope, that he will not leave 
or forsake us. Thus we may avoid that most 
miserable of all errors, which draws upon the 
future for evils wherewith to fill the present; 



164 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



and, in the absence of real, makes imaginary ills 
for to-morrow. 

The truth is, under the best of circumstances, 
each day will have enough of sorrow and tears ; 
and it is, therefore, folly, as well as impiety, to 
crowd the evils of to-morrow, by anticipation, into 
the cup which our Father has mingled for to-day. 
But while we avoid, on the one hand, an un- 
grateful and distrustful spirit, on the other, we 
should have a care, that we rush not into a rash 
confidence, which will lead us to neglect the 
duties of to-day, under the vain idea, that our 
sun of to-morrow will shine equally fair, whether 
those duties are done, or left undone. 

In endeavoring to unfold the duty of the text, 
and commending a constant and cheerful reliance 
upon God, as the richest earthly blessing, let us 
not be understood as pleading for a careless indif- 
ference, or stoical apathy ; nor yet, for a blind or 
recldess faith, which folds its arms, and waits for 
sudden and miraculous interpositions of the Di- 
vine power, to save us from the consequences of 
our ignorance, indolence, or guilt. The true idea 
is, that God's government is established — his 



CONTENTMENT. 



165 



plan is formed — his laws are fixed, and immuta- 
ble ; and not one, even the least of them, can be 
altered, or abolished. It is fanaticism, or igno- 
rance, not reasonable and confiding faith, which 
folds its arms, and waits for God to interfere, with 
a miracle, and arrest the operation of his laws, 
or stop the wheels of his government, for the pur- 
pose of averting an evil about to come upon us, 
in consequence of having set those laws at defi- 
ance. God's laws are worth too much to this 
world, and embrace the interests of too many 
beings, to be thus vacillating, to suit the whim 
or convenience of every fanatic, who happens to 
think, that he is of more consequence than all the 
rest of the world. It ought not to be expected, 
that the Creator will stop the sun in the firma- 
ment, and leave the other side of the world in 
darkness, for an additional hour, simply to light 
us home, because we have been out late. Whether 
we have been at a prayer-meeting, or a ball, the 
fact will prove, that, the sun will go on, and our 
business is to work while the day lasts; and, 
when the evening comes, to rest, in cheerful con- 
fidence, that the sun will rise again, and another 



166 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



day dawn, with its countless blessings, upon the 
world. 

But the virtue of the text rests upon a firm 
and immovable basis. It sees, not a God whose 
laws and purposes change with every wind that 
blows ; but it recognizes a Divinity whose gov- 
ernment is stable and sure, and whose plans never 
vary or fail. And it takes no anxious thought 
for the morrow, because it knows, that the end 
proposed is benevolent and good, and all the 
means wise and merciful. It is a government of 
order, and justice, in which virtue is rewarded, 
and vice infallibly punished, not in malice, but in 
kindness. In that government, suffering is not an 
end, but the means of securing good, to those 
who endure it patiently. So wisely has God 
ordered all things, that to each individual, and in 
each day of life, there is allotted, no more than a 
necessary and just portion of good or ill ; and, 
though the path we must tread leads through 
alternate sunshine and storm, it shall end in a 
bright and glorious day, at last. Such are the 
views of the Deity and his government, which 
alone can give that cheerful reliance upon God 



CONTENTMENT. ' 167 

which will enable us to comply with the spirit of 
the text, in leaving the results of the morrow, 
trustfully, in the hands of Him who made us, and 
who will conduct us safely through all the con- 
flicts of this life, and bring us to a more near and 
spiritual communion with himself, in that which 
is to come. 

For evidence, that the reign of God is thus 
paternal, and benevolent, the Saviour pointed to 
the fowls of the air, and bade his followers recog- 
nize, in their case, the provident care of the 
Father ; and then, rising from the inferior to the 
superior, to be assured, that he who had been 
thus faithful to that which was least, would not 
be found unfaithful, in that which was greatest. 

Behold the fowls of the air ! God has made 
rich and ample provisions for them. So full are 
those provisions, that scepticism itself has no 
fears, that they will be left to perish. They 
have no thought for the morrow. " They sow 
not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns." 
They have no anxiety about their stores of food. 
When the summer sun melts down the frosts 
and snows of the north, they are there, singing 



168 THE EX OWN OF LIFE. 

*• # 

blithely in each verdant grove, and sending forth 
their joyous songs to the great Preserver's praise. 
And when, again, the frosts scatter the leaves in 
autumn, and old winter comes blustering down 
from his constant abode, the birds speed their 
flight to more genial climes ; and there, their 
food awaits them, and they find a place to rest; 
and all this, without harassing forethought, on 
their part. Are ye not much better than they ? 
Do we not see, in the case of these tenants of the 
air, a manifestation of the great truth, that he 
who made them is provident and kind ? That 
deep down, towards the foundation of his ways, 
there lies a great conservative law, so wide, that 
it preserves the countless orbs of heaven, in their 
places ; and yet, so minute, and particular, that, 
on this dim earth, not so much as a tiny sparrow 
can fall to the ground, without his notice ? 

The fact may, doubtless, be regarded as estab- 
lished, that, so far as the lower orders of creation 
are concerned, there is in operation, a set of wise 
laws of preservation, which result in ample pro- 
visions for them, and in their enjoyment to the 
full measure of their capacity ; and that, too, 



CONTENTMENT. 169 

without anxious thought on their part. So 
firmly is this principle established, that none 
have their doubts or fears about the general and 
permanent safety of the birds, nor do any appre- 
hend that the morrow will prove destructive to 
them. Now, the argument of Christ is, that 
humanity is exalted far above the fowls of the 
air ; — occupying a higher and more exalted 
position in the scale of being, it is not at all 
probable, that the same God, who made the 
birds, and feeds them every one, and every day, 
has neglected to make ample provisions for man, 
made in his own image, and capable of an end- 
less approximation to Him who sitteth upon the 
throne. He hears even the dark raven, when he 
cries, and marks the sparrow, when it falls ; and, 
we may presume, that he has not left man's high- 
est interests in jeopardy, to be the sport of chance, 
or food for destruction. On the contrary, his 
government is so ordered as to cause the good to 
triumph over the ill, the pleasure over the pain. 
And, to secure greater safety to man, he has given 
him reason, to trace and see the laws of God, and 
be his guide through all the dangers of life. 
15 



170 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



Should it be asked, why man is not, in all 
things, provided for, as are the birds, without 
effort, or thought on his part ; the answer is, pre- 
cisely because we are not birds, but men. We 
have neither the wings, nor the feathers, of the 
bird. But we are men, exalted of God, placed 
upon this earth to subdue and have dominion 
over it — endued with reason, to enlighten and 
guide us. And can we suppose, for a moment, 
that God has given us these high privileges, for 
no other purpose, but to rust out in listless inac- 
tivity, or useless idleness, and leave us but beasts, 
at last ? The laws of being, in our case and that 
of the birds, are necessarily different. Having 
given us powers and capabilities, which raise us to 
the head of this earthly creation, he has made it 
our duty to employ those gifts ; and if we refuse, 
we must suffer the consequences. 

Yet, this makes nothing against the truth we 
have had under consideration. The fixed and 
permanent principles of the Divine government 
are unchangeably conservative; and, in their 
undeviating uniformity, no amount or degree of 
confidence, was ever found to be misplaced. 



CONTENTMENT. 



171 



This truth is indicated in the case of the fowls 
of the air, and is more clearly manifested in the 
dealings of God with man. If we look at our 
own individual experience, we shall find it true, 
that, as a general thing, our doubts, and fearful 
forebodings of evil, have not been realized, in the 
event. The storm may have gathered dark, and 
thundered loud, and seemed ready to break upon 
us ; and all the way before us may have appeared 
utterly inscrutable. But light appeared, full 
often, where we least expected it. Gradually, 
the clouds cleared away, and all was bright and 
glorious again. Or, if the storm came upon us, 
we had a strength given us, of which we were 
not aware ; and we found, that we could endure 
what seemed insupportable. 

Often, too, has it turned out, that, what we 
had regarded as the direst evil, and most to be 
dreaded, was, in fact, but a blessing in disguise ; 
and we have seen good reason to thank God, for 
having brought us through the furnace of afflic- 
tion, and by a way that we knew not, to the 
enjoyment of our most valuable blessings, and 
precious privileges. 



172 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



On the whole, we may, any, and all of us, 
safely say, that our blessedness has been most 
abundant, and our trials and sufferings less 
severe, than our fears had led us to anticipate. 
The result of this experience should be, to im- 
press upon our minds the great truth, that God 
reigns supreme over all — that his plans and pur- 
poses are surely going on, to their completion ; 
and that, being ordered in infinite wisdom and 
goodness, they are tending to the promotion of 
the best good of his creatures. Why, then, 
should we take an anxious or distrustful thought, 
for the morrow ? Why desire to take the gov- 
ernment from the hands of Infinite Love, or doubt, 
or fear, murmur, or complain, at the little ill, 
which that love sees it is best for us to endure ? 

True, our little plans may often fail, and all our 
most sagacious forethought, for the future, may 
be turned to folly. Human affairs are, at best, 
subject to a thousand fluctuations and changes ; 
and all human hopes, based upon the wisdom of 
man, are liable to disappointment. Our prospects 
in the business of the world, may be cut off, and 
all that regards this world's goods, end in confu- 



CONTENTMENT. 



173 



sion. Derangement may enter into the affairs of 
a nation, and we need not be surprised, if we hear 
complaints and gloomy forebodings of the future. 
Men may pass us with hurried steps, and with 
anxious and care-worn countenances. Anxiety 
may be depicted upon the brow of all we meet ; 
and there may be many days of doubt, and long, 
sleepless nights of anxious planning, in reference 
to the future. Still, the sun will rise and shine, 
and set in the west, and the bright stars will 
sparkle in the firmament, at night. The ocean 
will roll its waves, and the streams and rivers 
flow on and ever. The breezes will blow, the 
rains will descend, and seed-time and harvest, 
summer and winter, prevail, as usual. The 
birds will sing merrily, in the verdant groves, 
and the lilies of the field will bloom in a beauty, 
which even Solomon, in all his glory, could not 
rival, or equal. And, in all creation around us, 
there will remain the evidences, that God is mov- 
ing on his own undisturbed affairs — that his 
government, is not subverted, nor the least stone 
removed from the stable foundation of his throne 
15* 



174 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



of thrones, in the heavens. Then, why these 
doubts and fears of the future ? 

The affairs of men, whether considered as 
nations or as individuals, are not less under his 
Divine control, than these movements of nature 
around us. They are all, from the least to the 
greatest, subjected to uniform and undeviating 
laws, made by a gracious Father. 

When these laws are obeyed, a healthful pros- 
perity will prevail; but when they are disre- 
garded, confusion and distress will follow, by a 
law of necessity. But even this law is conserv- 
ative, designed to " teach transgressors God's 
ways," and tending surely to the destruction of 
those causes, from which the apparent discord, 
and present evil, proceed. Cease, then, these 
gloomy and distrustful fears of the future. God 
is in heaven, and man upon the earth, now, as 
ever, the subject of his wise and gracious laws. 
He who feeds the fowls of the air, and clothes 
the lilies of the field, will not suffer discord and 
confusion to reign in this fair universe, that he 
has made, nor permit his children to fail, or die 
beyond the hope of redemption. 



CONTENTMENT. 



175 



"Evil and good before him stand, 
Their mission to perform ; 
The sun shines bright at his command, 
His hand directs the storm." 

Let the duties of the day be promptly and 
cheerfully done ; and, if the morrow does not 
bring all the bliss we could wish, it will, at least, 
be less dreadful than our fears had anticipated, 
Of one thing, we may be certain ; the sun of the 
morrow will be no more fair, nor its skies more 
bright, for fears indulged, or duties neglected, 
to-day. 

I have, thus far, considered the exhortation of 
the text, solely in reference to that view of the 
future, which is bounded by man's present life. 
There is another, and more important aspect, in 
which it may properly be considered. " The 
morrow" may stand as a representative of the 
whole future, in all its vastness, embracing the 
whole range of man's being, in time and eter- 
nity : and, in that sense, the principle of the text 
may be applied, and its exhortation appropriately 
urged. Take no anxious, fearful thought for the 
morrow ; for the morrow shall take thought for 
the things of itself. The past is gone — the 



176 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



future is to come. The present, only, is ours. 
In that little moment of time, called the present, 
we must do and perform, enjoy or suffer all ; and 
he who neglects that present, will do nothing, 
enjoy nothing, though he may suffer much. 
There is the central point, the only point, of 
real contact with all our labors, all our enjoy- 
ments, and all our woes. 

Why, then, should the eternal ages of the 
future be invoked, by trembling fear and gloomy 
doubt, to fill that little all of man's conscious life, 
with its wormwood and gall ? 

Yet, it is no misrepresentation to say, that 
there are vast multitudes of our fellow-men, who 
are " mourning all their days," and utterly inca- 
pacitated for the enjoyment of present good, on 
account of their distressing anxieties and fears, 
in regard to the far-distant future. 

And the most remarkable feature in the case is, 
that this state of doubt and fear, bordering upon 
despair itself, is regarded as a favorable symp- 
tom — an omen of coming faith, hope, joy, and 
love ; while a compliance with the exhortation 
of the text, is deemed an evidence of irreligiom 



CONTENTMENT. 



177 



and the precursor of a doom, that the tender 
heart shudders to name. It is difficult to account 
for this strange perversion of " the right ways of 
the Lord," unless it be, upon the hypothesis, of a 
dreadful apostasy from the faith and practice of 
the Divine teacher. 

The truth is, the evils, and the only evils, we 
need fear, or labor to remove, are present with us, 
in this world. Once let this truth be well under- 
stood, and men's attention shall be turned to 
them, and many of them shall be removed. 

It is painful to reflect, that, hitherto, men have 
fixed their eyes so intently on woes, in the dim 
distance of the future, that the real sufferings 
of their fellows, in the present, have been weli- 
nigh overlooked. And it is more painful to 
remember, that those future woes have, in a great 
degree, absorbed the efforts of the benevolence of 
the age, and the labors of the Christian world. 
We boast, indeed, that this is, in a higher sense 
than any other, an age of benevolence. And it 
may be so. But, unhappily, that benevolence is 
excited by fears, and called into exercise in efforts 
for salvation from the woes of another world, 



178 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



rather than by hope, and labor for deliverance 
from the real ills of the present. It is unneces- 
sary to specify these manifestations of the benev- 
olence of the age. They are everywhere to be 
seen. They enter deeply into most of the re- 
ligious movements of the day. The capital 
defect, in the religion of the world, is, that it 
spreads a pall of darkness over the future, and 
gives the world little of light and hope, but much 
of darkness and fear. 

Let all the people learn to trust in God, with- 
out a doubt or fear ; to do their duty, in reference 
to the present, and leave the future unreservedly 
with their Father in heaven. Let them heed the 
admonition of the text, and " take no thought for 
the morrow;" and then, let all those sympathies, 
and prayers, and labors, now devoted to the work 
of saving from the miseries of another world, be 
enlisted in efforts for relieving the actual suffer- 
ings of earth; — and, 0! what a world of sor- 
row would be relieved ! How man}^ widows' 
hearts would be made to sing for joy, who now 
sit, in the loneliness of their desolation and wid- 
owhood, unpitied, uncared for, and forgotten ! 



CONTENTMENT. 



179 



How many homes, now filled with want, would 
become abodes of plenty! And how many an 
orphan, poor, lonely, and unbefriended, would lift 
a thankful voice and heart to heaven, for deliv- 
erance from the devouring jaws of famine and 
death ! And how would want, and woe, and 
suffering, in every form, find ready and efficient 
relief, and earth itself smile, as if an army of 
angels had come down to bless its needy and suf- 
fering children, and plead their cause against the 
powers that bow their heads in sorrow, from the 
cradle to the grave ! 

Far in the distance of the future, whose hori- 
zon is studded with stars, bright as that, which 
shone on Bethlehem, when the Saviour was born, 
I see the day, when hope shall revive, and doubt 
and despair shall die. Then, shall man awake 
from that awful dream, which has for ages par- 
alyzed his energies, and made him powerless for 
good : and, in the strength of an unfaltering faith, 
and an animating hope, grapple with the evils of 
the present ; and his efforts shall tell with tremen- 
dous power upon the melioration of the condition 
of his race. Then, man shall no more fear to 



180 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



trust his God with the disposal of all his inter- 
ests, for time and eternity, nor take one fearful 
thought for the morrow ; and holy peace, and 
heavenly joy, shall fill his confiding, grateful 
heart. 

Until that time comes, it behooves us to culti- 
vate, in our own hearts, a cheerful and enlight- 
ened trust in the Lord, even in those dark and 
mysterious passages of his government, where 
the eye of reason cannot discover the chain, that 
binds us to the throne of his mercy. 

Cease this " peevish, poor complaining," and 
looking up to God, even in tempest and storm, 
learn to smile amid your woe ! Behold, there 
are bows of promise in every cloud, stars in 
every night ! Upon these let us fix a steadfast 
eye, and when the summons comes to call us 
from earth, we can 

" Quit its vain scenes without a fear — 
Without a sorrow or a tear — 
And mingle with the dead ; " 

and still hope for the resurrection and the life; 
and an eternity, all cloudless and serene. 



SERMON X. 



GOD'S CARE FOR MAN. 

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, wh!"h to-day- 
is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more 
clothe you, O ye of little faith? Matt. 5 : 30. 

In a previous discourse, I spoke of the impro- 
priety of indulging in anxious thought, and 
gloomy doubts and fears, in regard to the fu- 
ture. I endeavored to commend to you, a cheer- 
ful spirit, which is satisfied with, and grateful for 
the present, and which looks hopefully forward, 
and trustingly upward, under all the changing, 
and even the apparently adverse circumstances, 
of human life. It was more than intimated, that 
a steadfast confidence in God, is the foundation, 
upon which alone, this cheerful contentment can 
rest ; and it is our present purpose, to take 
another view of the same general subject, in an 
attempt to unfold the necessity, and propriety, of 
this confiding trust in God. 

It may not be improper to repeat, in the outset, 
what has already been intimated, that enlight- 
16 



182 THE GROWN OF LIFE. 

ened trust in God does not imply, that a mars 
must sit himself down, in listless inactivity, and 
wait for God to feed and clothe him, by an ex- 
traordinary, or miraculous interposition, vainly 
supposing, that it will be equally well with him, 
whether duties are done, or neglected. God has, 
indeed, made full and ample provisions for the 
wants of his creatures ; but man must take the 
necessary means to secure and appropriate these 
provisions to his use. He has, for instance, 
adapted the earth to our necessities, giving us 
seed-time and harvest, sunshine and rain, so that 
the fields can bud and bring forth seed to the 
sower, and bread to the eater, and there need be 
no lack of food, for man and beast. But, it does 
not thence follow, that man may sit in idleness, 
and neglect to sow the seed, or to cultivate the 
soil, saying, he will trust God for food ; because 
the inflexible law is, that "he that sleepeth in 
seed-time shall beg in harvest, and have noth- 
ing." But, a true trust in God, sees that there 
are duties to be performed ; and, placing itself in 
harmony with the laws and arrangements of 
the Divine providence and government, it waits 



god'« care for man. 183 

the result without a doubt or a fear. And now, 
what I wish to say is, that., when man has done 
all he can do, — when all duties have been 
faithfully performed, and every effort has been 
made, that human agency can put forth, — still, 
there is need of trust in God. Such is man's 
weakness, and such are the circumstances in 
which he is placed, that confidence in something-, 
without and above himself, is indispensable to 
his present happiness. 

There is a sphere, in which we can act, and 
certain duties that we can perform ; and in refer- 
ence to those duties, and in that sphere, there is a 
degree of self-reliance, that may be indulged ; for, 
without it, no effort would be made. But, when 
all man's work is done, it is true, that, though one 
may have planted the seed, and another watered 
and nursed the tender blade, "God only can 
give the increase," and he alone must be trusted 
for that boon. 

Besides, we are ignorant of the future, and 
even of much of the present. There is a rapid 
and resistless current, continually bearing us 
along ; and every day impresses upon our minds 



184 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

the truth, that oar strength is little more than 
weakness. Hence, we instinctively look about 
us, or above us, for some power, in which we can 
trust. There is no want of our nature, more 
clearly manifest, or more imperious in its de- 
mands, than this; nor is there one whose satisfac- 
tion affords more heart-felt joy. It begins in ear- 
liest infancy, and shows itself in every period of 
human life. The little child is ignorant and help- 
less ; and, left to his own exertions, for support, 
would soon famish and die. But, it is a wise 
and beautiful arrangement of God, in nature, that 
the child looks up, with a firm and undoubting 
confidence, to the parent, and leans, with perfect 
trustfulness, for support, upon that arm which it 
instinctively feels to be strong, and mighty to 
bless. From this trust, the smiles and the joys 
of childhood flow. Destroy it, and that happy 
child shall be worse than an orphan. So it is, in 
youth ; and when the years of manhood arrive, 
and we become prepared to assume the duties 
and responsibilities of life, and to engage in its 
stern conflicts, we may properly indulge a degree 
of self-reliance. But nature is not changed, so 



gob's care for man. 



185 



that we have no need to trust in anything but 
self. 

New objects, duties, and relations, may pre- 
sent themselves, and the confidence reposed in 
the parent may be transferred to other powers ; 
but obliterated it cannot be, without violence to 
nature itself. 

Take an illustration. The traveller steps on 
board the gallant ship, and sails for a distant 
fend. Joyfully he launches out, upon the track- 
less ocean. The darkness of the midnight hour 
may be around him — the strong wind may blow, 
and the waves run high. So far as he is con- 
cerned, he may not know the north from the 
south, or be able to do tbe first or least act, neces- 
sary to secure the safety, or success, of the voyage. 
But, trusting in the care, and the skill, of the toil- 
hardened veteran of the ocean, and feeling secure 
in that confidence, his heart is light and joyous, 
and he can lay him down, and sleep sweetly upon 
the vast solitude of the waters. It is confidence, 
alone, that renders his condition even tolerable. 
Destroy it, for one moment, or disturb it, in the 
least degree, and there is an end of all quietness, 
16^ 



186 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



or enjoyment. Let the voyager suspect the skill, 
or the faithfulness, of his commander ; or, throw 
him upon his own resources, and let him under- 
stand, that he must depend upon himself, alone, 
to navigate the ship, and soon you shall see the 
gloom of doubt and despair settling upon that 
countenance, now mantled in smiles, and radiant 
with hope. 

This is but a picture of human life ; for we are 
all travellers upon the voyage of time. Launched 
upon an ocean, where storm and tempest often 
rise — where the waters are troubled, and the sea 
boisterous — where clouds frequently gather, dark 
and fearful, and the winds blow bleak and wild 
— we need a trustful confidence in some power, 
stronger than an arm of flesh, to hold the helm ; 
some wisdom, more far-seeing than human ken, 
to guide us, and enable us to avoid the rocks, and 
dangers, that fill the way. That man is an ex- 
ception to his nature, who feels that he is, in his 
own strength, able to enter this great struggle, 
and buffet the winds and the waves, with neither 
God, nor good angels, to strengthen, guide, guard 
or protect him, in the mighty conflict. 



god's CARE FOR MAN, 187 

I insist, that nature itself, with its first and 
highest impulses, involuntarily, instinctively, and 
irresistibly, looks upward for aid, and yearns for 
some firm foundation of hope and trust, with 
longings which cannot be destroyed. For this 
reason, men, everywhere, and of all grades and 
conditions of life, have their gods, to whom they 
flee, in their hours of weakness, peril, or danger. 
If they cannot find the true God, they will carve 
out an image, and flee for help to its altar ; or, 
they will repose their confidence in the sun, the 
moon, or stars, or in the beasts and creeping 
things of the earth. So that, the dark and ill- 
boding superstitions of the world, are but the" 
evidences of the strength of the principle ; and 
thus, through every land and nation, tribe and 
tongue, under the whole heavens, and from every 
temple and altar, that man has reared, to gods 
real or imaginary — from every bleeding victim 
and bended knee, and in every prayer, that goes 
up from human tongue ■ — the voice of nature it- 
self is heard, full and clear, testifying, that man 
needs, and that he must and luill have, some 
power m which to trust, in those emergencies, 



188 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

where the truth of his own weakness is forced 
upon him, by events which he can neither direct 
or control. Dim and shadowy, perhaps, may be 
their conceptions of the being, in whom they con- 
fide ; and crude and vague, their notions of his 
nature and character ; yet, to him do they go, 
and in him do they trust, when worn with the 
battle of life, or weak with the toil of the conflict, 
in which they are engaged. 

If such is the necessity of trust and confidence 
in a superior power, and such the important min- 
istries it has to perform, it will readily be per- 
ceived, how equally important it is, that this con- 
fidence should be reposed in a substantial reality, 
— in a being who exists, and who is able, and 
willing, to deliver and bless, at all times. 

In the most common affairs of life, we under- 
stand well, the importance of the question, 
Whom shall we trust ? And so, in the moment- 
ous concerns of religion, affecting, as they do, 
the question of our unspeakable interests in all 
time, and through the whole range of the inter- 
minable ages of a vast eternity, there is a still 
more imperious necessity, that we should look 



god's care for man. 189 

well to the foundation of our hopes, and see to it, 
that our trust rests upon one who will not fail or 
disappoint us, in any amount of confidence, that 
we may repose in him. 

The testimony of revelation and experience is, 
that it is safer to trust in the Lord, than in an 
arm of human mould. If we trust in ourselves, 
we shall find that we are weak, and must often 
yield to the pressure of circumstances, that we 
cannot control. If we trust our fellow-men, we 
shall find, that they are frail mortals, like our- 
selves, and that, our best friends will often leave 
us, in those dark and mysterious passages of life, 
where our strength is taxed to the utmost, and 
we feel, that we most need their aid. 

If we trust in the gods of this world, they are 
but vanity ; and the end will be the bitterness of 
disappointment. 

If we trust in the kings and potentates of earth, 
a few rolling suns may find them hurled from 
their thrones of power, and "none so poor as to 
do them reverence." But there is one power, 
that can be trusted. It is the Lord, the Maker 
of heaven and earth, whose arm is never short- 



190 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



ened that it cannot save ; and in whom is cen- 
tred all perfection, glory, and goodness ; and all 
whose ways prove, that he is a God, who may be 
trusted without fear of danger or disappointment. 
From age to age, he has been the same. He has 
caused his sun to rise upon the evil and the good, 
and sent his rain upon the just and the unjust. 
With undeviating regularity, the earth has pur- 
sued her course, the day and the night, the spring 
and the autumn, have succeeded each other — 
the waters have gushed from the fountains, the 
balmy breezes have blowed, and all nature has 
been made to minister to the wants of man. And 
all these are testimonies of the ever-present care 
of the Universal Father, — the clear and tangible 
evidences, that he does not, and will not, for- 
sake the creatures, he has made. Proofs they 
are, that men may safely trust him, and that 
those who build upon this foundation shall not be 
ashamed. 

To these, are added the testimonies of the 
Divine word, in which God's faithfulness is set 
forth, as transcending that of a parent, to his 
child; so that, when "a father and mother" 



god's cake for man. 



191 



shall forsake us, "the Lord will take lis up." 
Let men talk as they will. Let them call it, if 
they choose, superstition, fanaticism, or folly. 
The truth is, there are seasons in the history of 
every human being, and those seasons are neither 
"few nor far between," when this is all that 
remains, and comfort and joy must come thence, 
or come not at all. 

"When pleasure palls upon the senses, and all 
our best-laid plans are frustrated in the bud, or 
when the fruit was ripening for the harvest ; — 
when sickness preys upon the body, the burn- 
ing fever is upon the brow, and the sufferer is 
tossed, through long nights of agony, upon a bed 
of pain ; — when the light of life is dim, and the 
film of death is gathering upon the eye, and the 
earth, and all its beauties are fading, as fades the 
beauteous landscape, when the evening shades 
are setting upon the world, — then, must we trust 
in God, or sink in despair. And " to this com- 
plexion must we all come at last;" and then, if 
not before, shall we feel our need of a hope " fast 
anchored in heaven." 

From what has been orfered,_thus far, it would 



192 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

seem, that man hath need to trust in God, and 
that, there is abundant reason for reposing our 
confidence, in the Being who clothes the lilies of 
the field, in robes of beauty, and exercises a con- 
stant and sleepless vigilance over the interests, 
and the wants, of all departments of his wide 
dominion. There are, however, many causes 
constantly in operation, to prevent men from 
exercising a hearty and filial confidence in the 
Deity. Among these, I name, 

I. The wickedness of men's lives. 

There is a great lesson of truth and duty, in 
the old saying of the ancients, " The gods help 
those, that help themselves." We have before 
seen, that there are duties, which man has to 
perform ; and the neglect of these duties is a 
fatal bar to heartfelt confidence in the Divine aid. 
The man who has spent the seed-time in idle- 
ness, and neglected to sow his fields, cannot per- 
suade himself, that he either deserves, or will 
receive from God, a bountiful harvest. It is only 
when the husbandman has planted the seed, and 
promptly performed his duty, that he can feel, 
that he has placed himself in the way of receiv- 



GODS CARE FOR MAN. 



193 



trig a blessing; and then only can he trust God, 
for the accustomed supply for his garner. 

It is precisely so, in all other cases. Neglect 
of duty interposes a veil between man and his 
God, so that, he cannot feel confident of his bless- 
ings. He knows, he does not deserve it ; he 
has not placed himself in the way of receiving 
it ; and however true it may be, that God is 
still most merciful and kind, the soul cannot 
feel a sense of this kindness, or calmly trust in 
his mercy. 

Hence, you will find it true, as a general rule, 
that the more guilty a man is, the more suspi- 
cious he will be of his fellow-men. Who so ready 
to suspect others of falsehood, as the man who is 
himself a liar ? Who so ready to join in the 
chase, and cry " stop thief ! " as the very thief 
himself? Who thinks every man he meets intox- 
icated, so readily as the man who is himself reel- 
ing under the influence of strong drink ? The 
answer is plain, and we need not dwell. My 
purpose was merely to call attention to this feat- 
ure of humanity, by way of illustrating the sub- 
ject in hand. Long habit has confirmed the 
17 



194 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



world in the way of judging others by themselves. 
Accustomed to measure their fellows, by the line 
of their own stature, men take the same rule and 
apply it to God, and thus fulfil that Scripture 
which saith, " Thou thoughtest I was altogether 
such an one as thou art." Man feels, that he is 
faithless himself, and he cannot realize the truth, 
that God is faithful. He has forgotten or neg- 
lected his own duty, and there rises in his soul 
the suspicion, that God will forget, or neglect 
him. Thus the eternal being becomes invested, 
in his mind, with all the hurtful passions that de- 
grade and torment poor humanity, and becomes a 
being whom man cannot love, and dare not trust. 

So, then, it is sin, that has estranged men from 
God, and robbed them of their confidence in his 
care and protection. It was so with our first 
parents. They had no sooner transgressed, than 
their confidence in their Father was destroyed, 
and they were afraid, and hid themselves among 
the trees of the garden. It was so with Cain, 
when he slew his brother, and said, "It shall 
come to pass that whosoever seeth me, shall slay 
me." It was so with the children of Israel, when 



god's care for man. 195 

they sinned in the wilderness. The effect was, 
they lost their confidence in God, and turned 
back, and tempted the Holy One. 

It was so with David, when he sinned, and fear 
came upon him, lest God should cast him off for- 
ever. And it ever was, and ever will be so, with 
all those that violate the laws of God. There is 
a damning influence in sin, which shuts out the 
light of Divine truth from the understanding, and 
prevents the heart from feeling, even if the tongue 
confesses, that the Lord is good and gracious. 

He, then, who would feel the full blessedness 
of that confidence in God, so beautifully and 
cogently urged upon us, in the text, must keep 
clean hands, and a pure heart. The man who 
has carefully done his duty, feels that he has 
performed all. that can be performed by human 
power ; and he can, therefore, with a good con- 
science, trust God, for all else, and lean with 
readiness upon that arm, from which alone, help 
can come. Of such it is said, " He shall not be 
afraid of the pestilence, when it walketh in dark- 
ness, nor of the destruction that wasteth at noon- 
day. At destruction and famine shall he laugh ; 



198 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



and though he walk through the valley and 
shadow of death, he shall fear no evil, for the 
rod and the staff of the Almighty, that shall 
comfort him." And this is the reason, that while 
" The wicked flee when no man pursueth, the 
righteous are as bold as a lion." The one feels 
guilt in his soul, and has no confidence in the 
protection of God ; but the other trusts in the 
Lord, and believes that he will deliver him. 

II. Another cause of man's want of confidence 
in God, may be found, in the too general preva- 
lence of gloomy and distrustful views of religion. 

Could men but understand, that religion is 
designed for their best comfort and strength ; to 
draw them nearer to God, instead of repelling 
them from him — many of those doubts and fears, 
which so "waste their faith and nourish their 
despair," would vanish away. Could they be 
persuaded to see God as he is, unveiled, and un- 
perverted by the false lights in which he is too 
often presented ; and could they be led up to a 
perception of the true nature and principles of his 
government, they would cleave to him, as the 
child to the bosom of its mother, and trust him 



god's care for man. 197 

unreservedly; no longer dreaming, that a real 
evil could, by any possibility, come from his 
hand. But, we have gone out of the way, and 
the -great mass of us have been subjected to a 
course of training, and education, which is not 
only unsuited to the production of confidence in 
God, but absolutely well calculated to uproot 
every vestige of that confidence, where haply it 
may be found. 

Not to descend to particulars, or assail the 
cherished creed of any particular sect, it is obvi- 
ous, that the general view of the Divine govern- 
ment, and its final results, is such, as renders it 
a curse, rather than a blessing, to vast multitudes 
of the human race. And it not unfrequently 
happens, that the first impression, a child re- 
ceives of God, is that of a being from whom, he 
has really less to hope, and more to fear, than 
from all the wicked men and demons in the uni- 
verse. The impression thus received, "grows 
with his growth, and strengthens with his 
strength ;" is confirmed by all religious teach- 
ings ; and the man is thus necessarily made sus- 
picious and doubtful, so that he cannot trust 
17* 



198 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

God, if he would. Religion comes to him, ever, 
not with a radiant smile, and an eye bright with 
hope and joy; but it comes clothed in sablest 
words of mourning — with a countenance sad in 
sorrow, bewailing, with many tears, the doom that 
awaits the children of men in eternity ; or else, 
with maniac eye and dishevelled hair, crying, like 
the strange messenger in Jerusalem, on the eve 
of its downfall, " Woe ! Woe ! Woe to the city ! 
Woe to the temple and the people ! Woe, also, to 
myself ! " And what chance has poor humanity 
to cultivate, or cherish in its heart of hearts, a 
lofty, calm, and cheerful trust in the Lord, while 
the voice of wrath is thus constantly sounding in 
its ears ? The true cause of wonder is, not that 
men forbear to trust in the Lord, but that any 
dare trust him at all. Nothing, I am sure, but 
the imperious and everlasting necessities of man 
— the deep and hungry cravings of the soul for 
reliance upon a higher power, has preserved, 
even a fragment of faith to the world. But for 
that, the race would have become infidel, long 
ago. 

It is time, this veil of darkness was removed 



god's care for man. 199 

from the face of the excellent glory; and 
religion presented to the world with more to 
cheer, animate, and encourage, and less to awe, 
depress, and dissuade from all filial reliance upon 
God. It is time that voice was heard, in the 
temple of worship, which sounded so gently and 
mercifully upon the mountain of old. " Consider 
the lilies of the field, how they grow ; they toil 
not, neither do they spin ; and yet, I say unto 
you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not 
arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so 
clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and 
to-morrow is cast into the oven, will he not clothe 
you, 0 ye of little faith ? " 

More than most of us imagine, does the world 
need the ministries of a hopeful and cheerful 
religion, which shall bind man to the altars of his 
God, by the ties of filial love and duty ; draw out 
his heart in an unreserved confidence in the Most 
High, and forbid all that could suggest a suspi- 
cion of his everlasting faithfulness. 

Such is the religion of Christ ; and such will it 
be seen to be, when the clouds of ignorance shall 
be removed, and the sombre shadows of gloomy 



200 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



ages past, shall vanish before the clear light of 
the revelation of the Father's name, and the 
Father's love. 

Meanwhile, it becomes us to cherish, in our 
own hearts, a steadfast trust in God, and labor for 
the dissemination of higher hopes, and purer joys 
among our sorrowing fellow-men. Thus shall we 
secure to ourselves, the " soul's calm sunshine, 
and the heartfelt joy," and reap " good hope and 
everlasting consolation," in that hour, which shall 
call us hence, to be here no more I 



SERMON XL 



THE PATIENCE OF HOPE. 

Rest m the Lord, and wait patiently for him : fret not thyself be- 
cause of him that prospereth in his way, because of the man who 
bringeth wicked devices to pass. Psalm 37 : 7. 

There ts a God, who rules and reigns on earthy 
and controls the destinies of the children of men. 
His government is established in righteousness, 
truth, and justice, and is so ordered, that virtue is 
its own reward, and vice sure of a just and equi- 
table punishment. These are great truths, which 
are very near the foundations of religion, and 
their vast importance cannot be over-estimated. 
Man knows, that his arm is weak r in many of 
the conflicts of life ; and when difficulties sur- 
round him, and obstacles seem reared full and im- 
passable before him, — when virtue is sorely tried, 
and vice holds out her tempting allurements, and 
repeats her specious promises of good, — then is 
there need of a faith fast anchored in heaven — 



202 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



a faith, which can look away from the deceptions 
of outward appearances, and believe- that, sooner 
or later, truth and duty shall triumph, and calmly 
and patiently wait the issue. 

In the chapter from which our text is selected, 
the Psalmist treats of one of the most difficult 
problems presented, in the government of God. I 
allude to that apparent prosperity, which often 
attends the wicked, and the success, which fre- 
quently seems to crown the evil machinations of 
vicious and unprincipled men. He does not 
deny the fact, but admits, that wicked devices 
are frequently brought to pass, and the wicked 
often prosper in their way, for a season ; and 
then he cautions us, not to let this truth shake 
our confidence in the rectitude of the Divine gov- 
ernment ; for this prosperity and success are only 
momentary. There is, still, a God, who ruleth ; 
and time, which tries all things, shall reveal the 
omnipotence of virtue, and establish the fact, that 
its victory is ultimately sure. Hear him. " Fret 
not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou 
envious against the workers of iniquity. For they 
shall sogn be cut down like the grass, and wither 



THE PATIENCE OF HOPE, 



203 



as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do 
good; so shall thou dwell in the land, and verily 
shalt thou be fed. Delight thyself also in the 
Lord ; and he shall give thee the desires of thy 
heart. Commit thy ways unto the Lord : trust 
also in him ; and he shall bring it to pass. And 
he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the 
light, and thy judgment as the noon-day. Rest 
in the Lord, and wait patiently for him : fret not 
thyself because of him that prospereth in his 
way, because of the man who bringeth wicked 
devices to pass." 

Such is the great lesson, which I would wish 
to illustrate, and impress upon your minds, in the 
present discourse. God reigns in eternal equity 
and justice, over all the inhabitants of the earth. 
Appearances may often give to vice an apparent 
prosperity, and indicate, that truth and duty are 
crushed, and trampled in the dust. Yet. it need 
not disturb us. God lives. We have but to 
wait in calm confidence and patient hope ; for the 
veil will be uplifted, at last, and then, shall it 
appear, that virtue alone is permanent and safe 
and all the triumphs of vice delusive and false. 



204 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



Let us endeavor to obtain a clear view of the 
facts, and circumstances, to which the exhortation 
of the text should be applied. 

Consider, for a moment, the prosperity of the 
wicked, as it is seen in outward appearances 
around you. I use the term prosperity here, of 
course, in the sense in which it is used by the 
world, to denote temporal thrift, success in gath- 
ering riches, and accumulating the good things 
of this life. It is doubtless true, that honesty and 
persevering industry, will, under ordinary circum- 
stances, procure a man a competency of the goods 
of the world, and give a comfortable livelihood. 
But, I suppose it is equally apparent, that great 
wealth is not accumulated in this way. Labor is 
the only real producer of the wealth of the world ; 
and, it is manifest, on a moment's reflection, that, 
no man can live long enough to procure by the 
sweat of his brow, anything like what the world 
calls a fortune. 

Hence, when you find a man, with an estate 
of some hundreds of thousands, or, perhaps, mil- 
lions, you know, well enough, that he did not get 
it by his own industry, and that, it is the product 



THE PATIENCE OF HOPE. 205 

of the labor of others, — not of his own hands. 
How he came by it, is another matter. For 
aught I know, he may have got it honestly ; that 
is, measuring honesty, by the laws and customs 
of society, and the maxims of commercial probity 
and honor. But it is not quite certain, that these 
are in perfect accordance with the standard of 
eternal justice and equity. The world is a 
battle-field ; the prize is gold ; and men inquire 
not, who falls in this battle, but who rises ; and 
as for the means employed, they are of little 
consequence, so that they do not transcend the 
limits of honorable, civilized warfare. 

The right, or the wrong, is of minor import- 
ance. It sufficeth, that the man is rich; and 
though thousands are crushed beneath his heel, 
and left to pine in want, through his means, it is 
no matter, so that, he did it in a scientific way, 
and according to the rules of this commercial 
war. 

But, let that pass. The fact is, as a general 
thing, the man who bows down most obsequi- 
ously at the shrine of Mammon, and worships 
there with most hearty devotion,-— if he is shrewd 
18 



206 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



and cautious, withal, and not over-nice about 
grinding the face of the poor, — so that, he keeps 
within the law, that man is quite likely to become 
rich. Whether his riches are really of great 
service to him, in the way of making him 
happy, t inquire not now. I merely state the 
fact, as a general rule, that large fortunes are 
acquired by rapacity, and skill in clutching from 
others by means, fair or foul, as the case may 
be, the fruit 'of their toil. But these are the 
prosperous men of the world, whose situation 
excites the envy of their fellows. The poor man, 
complains, and frets, because of such as these. 
He earns his bread, by the sweat of his brow. 
He has not oppressed, or wronged, his fellow- 
man. He has labored industriously, and ren- 
dered unto all their dues ; and yet, he has never 
been able to do more than procure for himself, 
and his family, the means of an humble liveli- 
hood. He canot see why God should so prosper 
his avaricious, and perhaps, overreaching neigh- 
bor, while he toils equally hard, and yet, remains 
in the vale of poverty, all the days of his life. 
He sees here, as he thinks, something unequal in 



THE PATIENCE OF HOPE. 



207 



the ways of Divine Providence ; and, it may be, 
he even doubts, that a just God has anything to 
do with the affairs of men, else he would rectify 
these evils. 

Again, and on a wider scale, there is an 
apparent prosperity of wickedness, and success 
attending many of the evil machinations, and 
mischievous devices, of men. 

We look abroad in the world, and see kings 
and potentates clothed with power, and riding in 
the car of state, over the prostrate liberties of the 
people. Huge masses of our fellow-men lie, 
crushed and bleeding at the feet of the usurper 
of dominion over man; and there, from age to 
age, they sigh, and cry in vain for relief. 

If Ireland's down-trodden children raise a voice, 
or a hand, to free themselves from the oppressions 
of ages, that voice is hushed, and that hand is 
palsied by the arm of the oppressor. If the vine- 
clad hills of France echo with the notes of free- 
dom, and her people rise in their might, and 
throw off a yoke, which has long been galling 
upon their necks, immediately there is a plan on 
foot to impose another yoke, scarcely less galling ; 



208 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

and the shade of Napoleon is hardly more toler- 
able, than the body of the living Bourbon. If 
Rome finds her burden intolerable, and rises in 
her strength, to cast it off, and succeeds ; forth- 
with, the cannon of republican France are heard 
thundering at her gates, and the scheme of ini- 
quity is consummated. Rome, proud and mighty 
as she once was, and with a heart now true to 
liberty, as the needle to the pole, is crushed, by 
an iron arm, and doomed to suffer, yet longer, 
from that accursed tyranny of body and soul 
under which she has so long groaned, and cried, 
in vain for relief. If Hungary lifts a mighty 
arm, and strikes for constitutional liberty and 
law, the myriads of Austria are marshalled for 
the battle, and sent forth to strangle the infant 
Hercules in his cradle ; the Russian bear raises 
his sullen growl ; the Czar throws his ponderous 
sword in the scale, and his hordes come tramp- 
ing down from the north ; Georgey turns traitor ; 
the heroic Magyars melt away before the hosts, 
that oppose them ; Kossuth, the godlike, with his 
fellows, are hunted as beasts, and poor prostrate 



THE PATIENCE OF HOPE. 



209 



Hungary is doomed to more cruel oppression, and 
deeper misery and degradation. 

Thus the evil devices of the enemies of man, 
are brought to pass, and all present hope is cut 
off. I do not wonder, that men grow impatient, 
and fretful, in view of these things. Considering 
the weakness of human faith, it is natural for 
man to cry out, as many do, " Where is the Lord, 
that he does not come to the rescue ?" Where is 
his mighty arm, that it is not uplifted to defend 
the right ? And where the lightnings of his wrath, 
that they do not blast the impious men, who riot 
in blood, and oppress and grind their fellows to 
powder ? 

I acknowledge, the problem is hard to solve. 
I see in it, the necessity of faith. I grant, if you 
please, in these, as in many other things, there is 
mystery, that no human reason, or human philos- 
ophy, can solve. The facts exist, as we all know, 
and the explanation of them is beyond our prov- 
ince. The only thing we can do, is, to " rest in 
the Lord, and wait patiently for him." We 
need not fret about it, for it will do no good ; nor 
need we cast away our faith in God, because he 
18* 



210 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



does not work as fast, or at the precise time, that 
we may think best. Suppose we turn atheists, 
and deny the being, and government of God. It 
will not help the matter, at all. Still the melan- 
choly facts will exist, precisely as they do now, 
and we shall have to look them in the face. Not 
a particle of misery shall we relieve, not a 
manacle of oppression shall we knock off, by fly- 
ing in a passion in our impatience, and charging 
God with injustice, or denying his name. Do 
this, never so indignantly, or confidently, and 
still, there is that same picture of poverty and 
oppression, on the one hand, and tyranny and 
power, on the other, and upon that, we must still 
look. May we not contemplate it, with more of 
composure, if we look with a steadfast faith in 
God? And does not our own happiness call 
upon us to heed the admonition of the text, to 
" rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him ; 
and fret not because of those, that bring evil 
devices to pass ? " 

I have before admitted, that no human wisdom 
can give a full explanation of the reason, or phi- 
losophy of these things. There are, however, 



TEE PATIENCE OF HOPE. 



211 



many considerations, which will fully justify that 
" patience of hope," which is recommended by 
the Psalmist, in our text Some of these I will 
proceed to notice. 

I. Virtue is, in itself, the most valuable of all 
blessings. 

Xo earthly good can be compared to " a well- 
ordered life, and a conscience void of offence." 
It is a well-spring of happiness, that never fails. 
No wealth can purchase it, no prosperity can 
secure it ; and, thank God, no poverty can rob a 
man of it, or adversity take it away. What then, 
does it signify, if one is poor and another rich, 
or the good man oppressed, and the bad man 
clothed in power ? The truth is, a man's happi- 
ness depends upon what he is, not upon what he 
has. You tell me, you toil hard, and endeavor 
to do that which is right, yet, you accumulate no 
wealth. True, but if you have preserved your 
virtue, you possess that, which wealth cannot 
buy, and bear about with you continually, a 
jewel more precious than all the gold of the 
world. But you say : Here is another man, who 
is proud, haughty, and rapacious, who grinds the 



212 



THE CEOWN OF LIFE. 



face of the poor, and lives by extortion and dis- 
honesty y and he is prosperous, and wealth flows 
by thousands into his coffers. And what of all 
that ? If he has bartered his virtue, his truth 
and justice, his duty to God, and his own con- 
science for his wealth, he has made but a sorry 
bargain, after all. His gold cannot make him 
happy. It cannot ease the troubled spirit, cure a 
pain, or heal a disease of the body, or pluck a 
single thorn from the pillow of death. The time 
is near, when it will cease to dazzle, and the 
man will lament the choice he has made. 

You point me, again, to the people of the Old 
World, many of them down-trodden, and op- 
pressed, and you mourn over their sufferings, and 
wonder why God does not send a blasting curse 
to smite their oppressors. But do you, as often, 
think of the condition of their rulers ? Do the 
kings and potentates sit easily upon their thrones? 
And is it all peace and sunshine with them ? Nay, 
there is not, upon the wide earth, a more misera- 
ble set of human beings, than these whom you so 
much envy. They are pale with fear. They 
dare not even walk freely upon God's earth, or 



THE PATIENCE OF HOPE. 



213 



meet their fellow-men, without being walled 
about with swords and bayonets. Give me my 
choice, to-day, and I would rather be the hum- 
blest peasant of Italy, than the Pope ; and there 
is not, at this moment, in this city, a mechanic 
in his work-shop, delving at the anvil, toiling 
with the axe or saw, or plying the needle, or the 
shuttle, who would not be immeasurably the 
loser, in point of real happiness, were he to ex- 
change his present position for a seat on any 
throne, upon which the sun of heaven shines. 
So then, there is not so much real _ inequality as 
appears upon the surface of things ; and humble 
though your lot may be, you can afford to wait 
patiently upon God, and fret not because evil 
designs are brought to pass. 

He, that is established in virtue, may look 
upon man unblanched ; and up to heaven with a 
trusting heart ; and draw down thence, feelings 
the vile cannot know, though clothed in gold and 
crimson. 

Another reason why we may remain undis- 
turbed at the success of evil devices, may be 
found in the fact, that the moment of most tri- 



214 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



umphant success, is often the era of most over- 
whelming defeat. Behold the brethren of Joseph, 
plotting evil against him. They laid their plan, 
as they thought, with the most far-reaching wis- 
dom. They conspired against him, to kill him, 
and finally sold him into Egypt. And now, they 
have succeeded. The helpless boy is taken from 
home, and carried to a strange land, a slave in his 
chains; and they were ready to say, in their tri- 
umph, "Let us now see what will become of his 
dreams ! " Short-sighted mortals, that they were ! 
Their victory was their defeat. All unconscious- 
ly, but truly, they had been working out the very 
thing they intended to defeat. Their success, it 
was, which fixed and adjusted the means, that 
were to elevate Joseph to honor, and glory, and 
cover themselves with confusion and shame. 
The old patriarch had as much reason, as most 
men, to be impatient and fretful under the evils 
which came upon him ; but the end proved, that 
he might well have rested in God, and waited 
patiently for him to work his sovereign will, in 
his own way. 

Look at Christ, while on earth, surrounded by 



THE PATIENCE OF HOPE. 



215 



his bitter enemies. Their hearts were full of 
malice against him, and at every step, they were 
watching an opportunity to destroy him. They 
finally succeeded to their hearts' content. They 
brought him to the judgment-seat ; procured his 
condemnation ; took him to the cross, and put 
him to a most cruel and ignominious death. 
This was success enough for his most malignant 
foe. The hated Nazarene was dead. His body 
was in the tomb, cut from the solid rock. The 
great stone was at the door, < — the seal upon it, 
and a guard of soldiers there, to see that it was 
not taken away. Then, rose the shout of victory, 
from all the hosts of enemies. Then failed the 
hearts of friends. Evil devices had been brought 
to pass, and all was lost. 

Yet, do you not see, that all this success only 
served to make more sure their defeat ; for thus, 
they adopted the very means of giving to him a 
name above every name, and of sealing with the 
Divine impress, spreading far and wide, and per- 
petuating to remotest ages of time, that religion 
which they so earnestly sought to destroy. That 
day of their sucgsss, was the darkest they ever 



216 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



saw, for them, and the brightest and most auspi- 
cious, for him; and the result shows, that although 
Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and 
people of Israel, were gathered against him, yet, 
it was but to do what God's counsel had deter- 
mined before to be done. Well then, might the 
world " rest in God, and wait for him." 

Another reason for the exercise of this patience 
of hope is, that God is not confined to a narrow 
space of time, for the accomplishment of his pur- 
poses. 

Man has but a few days, in which he can 
work. For this reason, he must be in haste, and 
do quickly whatever he does. He can accom- 
plish nothing, and witness it, but such things as 
are bounded by his own life. Short as that life 
is known to be, it is natural, that he should be 
impatient of delay, and anxious to see the suc- 
cess and triumph of his plans. But it is not so 
with God. He has an eternity before him, and 
need not be in haste. His plans extend through 
all time and eternity, and man need not hope, 
that they will be matured, and all their results 
realized in three score years and ten. The bat* 



THE PATIENCE OF HOPE. 217 

tie is so long, that none can predict its issue from 
a single skirmish on the distant outposts of the 
field. Hopeless as any fragment of time may 
appear, when viewed by itself, yet the history of 
the world, as a whole, is full of encouragement, 
and incentives to patience and hope. See the 
humble savage, with his quiver and his bow. He 
roams an uncultivated waste. The wild beasts 
are around him — his employment, the chase — 
his glory, in war; his dwelling, the cave, or the 
hut ; his hand against every man, and every 
man's hand against him. How low his estate ! 
How few his enjoyments ! And that is the infant 
state of man. From that, God, in the revolutions 
of ages, has brought us up to a state of enlight- 
ened civilization, where blessings without num- 
ber are poured in rich profusion, all around as. 
The hut of the savage has given place to the 
stately temple ; the bow, to the implements of 
industry ; the swarthy savage, to the civilized 
man. The rivers are ploughed by the keels of 
the steamship — the mountains are tunneled, and 
through their dark caverns, and along the green 
vales, man travels with the speed of the wind. 
19 



218 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

The nerves of thought link nations, and human 
words are sent, on the lightning's wing, to the 
remotest corners of the earth, with a speed that 
time himself cannot reach. The stars are num- 
bered, and the human intellect grasps the infinity 
of space, and lays its vast worlds, as a map, at 
our feet. Truly, these six thousand years have 
not been wasted. In them, God has done some- 
thing for man, after all. Dark periods to man's 
vision, there may have been — seasons when the 
victory of evil might have seemed almost com- 
plete. But fix upon the dreariest point, you 
can find, when all hope of human redemption 
seemed blotted out — and the result proves, that 
even then, there was reason to " rest in the Lord, 
and wait patiently for him." And so now, evils 
there may be remaining, and poor mortals, as has 
been their wont, from the beginning, undertake 
to reform them. They toil with zeal, for a day ; 
and because in that brief moment they do not see 
the work of ages performed, impatient of an 
hour's delay, "they fret and fume," and com- 
plain of the ways of God ; tax his justice, and 
often deny his name, or give the WGrld over, as 



THE PATIENCE OF HOPE. 



219 



too bad to be redeemed. Poor child of a moment, 
as thou art; cease thy fretful murmurings against 
God ! His age is not, like thine, a few fleeting 
years. Eternity is his, and he worketh always. 
Even in the inequalities and antagonisms of 
which you complain, he is quickening human 
energies, training human intellect, and gather- 
ing, and augmenting powers, which will one day 
tell with tremendous effect upon the evils, you so 
much deplore. Cease, then, this poor complain- 
ing. Rest thou in God, and be patient, while 
you wait for him. When the sun rises, it will bs 
light — not before. 



SERMON XII. 

REST FOR THE WEARY. 

Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will 
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me : for I am 
meek and lowly in heart ; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matt. 11 : 23 — 30. 

To come unto Christ, is a phrase used to de- 
note — believing on him; and hence, it is easy 
to perceive, that the truth of the sentiment of the 
text, was afterwards fully vindicated, in the expe- 
rience of the apostle and his companions in the 
faith, where he says, " We that have believed do 
enter into rest." 

The yoke is used, as an emblem of authority. 
To put a yoke upon a man, is to bring him under 
your authority ; and to take a yoke, upon your- 
self, is to come under the government of another. 
When, therefore, the Saviour says, " Take my 
yoke upon you," I understand him to require, 
submission to his authority, in matters of faith 
and practice. 



REST FOR THE WEARY. 



221 



The declaration, that his yoke is easy, and his 
burden light, is given as a reason, why those 
who submitted to his rule should find rest unto 
their souls. 

The call is, to those who were already worn 
with labor, and fainting under the heavy burdens 
imposed upon them ; and the assurance is, that 
relief and rest should be theirs, if they would 
come to him, and submit to his authority. 

In regard to this matter of authority, I must 
offer a few remarks, because there are those, who, 
in the pride of their own vain hearts, affect to 
scorn the idea of submission to any authority, in 
matters of religion. They are willing to go to 
Christ, and learn of him as they would of Socrates, 
or Plato, or a wise man, or philosopher, of mod- 
ern times. They would listen respectfully to what 
he has to say, and if it appeared to harmonize 
with their notions of truth, they would receive it; 
but otherwise, cast it away. And there are men 
of this sort, who really seem to think it a matter 
of some condescension, on their part, to listen to 
the Gospel at all ; and especially so, if they are 
so well pleased, as to patronize Christ in some 
19* 



222 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



small degree, as they would patronize an advo* 
cate of some new theory in philosophy. 

Now, as opposed to this view, arrogant as it is, 
I cite you to the truth, indicated in the text, that 
Jesus claimed authority ; he required men, not 
merely to listen to him, for the purpose of criti- 
cizing his teachings ; but he demanded, that they 
should learn of him, and take his yoke upon 
them. They should place themselves in the 
attitude of pupils, and submit to his authority. 
Thus much is plainly taught, in the text ; and it 
matters not how eloquently a man may talk of 
the beauty of the philosophy of the Saviour, or 
boast of his willingness to believe as much of his 
teachings, as can be shown to consist with human 
reason, and human science ; the truth is, unless 
he has placed himself, as a learner, at the feet of 
Christ, and acknowledged him, as an authorita- 
tive teacher, of truth and duty, he has not per- 
formed the first act of obedience, or taken the 
first step towards becoming a Christian. 

Nor is this an unjust, or an unreasonable re- 
quirement ; for, man is so feeble, and his intellect 
so limited m the sphere of its operations, that he 



REST FOR THE WEARY. 



223 



must hare, and must rely upon authority of some 
sort, in every department of human knowledge, 
and at every step of improvement ; and without 
this, there is no such thing as progress, in any art 
or science. There are truths, that can be demon 
strated mathematically, or proved by philosophi- 
cal experiment, or chemical analysis. But, even 
here, the inquirer necessarily relies upon the 
authority of those, who have gone before him, 
and takes for granted, that their discoveries are 
true, else he would make next to no progress at 
all. So that, authority is indispensable, even in 
the physical and exact sciences. But the great 
truths of religion are without the dominion of 
human science — above the efforts of the unaided 
reason of man, and must be taught authorita- 
tively, or not at all. And hence, the reasonable- 
ness of Christ's requirement, that those who 
would learn of him, should, first of all, take his 
yoke upon them. What guide would undertake 
to conduct the traveller over the intricate wind- 
ings, the lofty heights, the deep chasms, and 
interminable labyrinths, of the Alps, without the 
tacit agreement, that his direction should be 



224 



THE GEO WW OF LIFE. 



heeded, and his authority regarded, as final and 
decisive ? What navigator would receive a pas- 
senger on board his ship, and undertake to con- 
duct him over the trackless ocean, to a distant 
port, without the distinct understanding, that his 
authority was to be regarded, and his knowledge 
of his calling relied upon ? Why then, should 
it be thought presumption for Christ to assert, or 
hard for his disciples to submit to his authority ? 
Why should he undertake to lead man up to the 
knowledge of God, and across the waters of 
death, to that land, which " eye hath not seen," 
and yet, be invested with no authority, and 
allowed to exact no submission from his fol- 
lowers ? 

But whether it be just, and reasonable, or 
otherwise, it exists, as a matter of fact, that he 
requires those who would learn of him, to take 
his yoke upon them, and to be meek and lowlv 
in heart. He asserted a Divine authority — he 
taught as one having authority — he paused not, 
to give his hearers the philosophy of his doc- 
trines, or to force them upon their minds, by 
dint of fine-spun reasonings : but, he announced 



REST FOR THE WEARY. 



225 



them, as momentous truths, and his reason was, 
" verily i say unto you," it is thus, or so. There 
was no courting the patronage of the wisdom of 
the world, with him ; no effort to show, that his 
teachings were the decisions of a deep philoso- 
phy, nor detail of the process of reasoning, by 
which he had arrived at the knowledge of them. 
But he simply announced truth, in its own naked 
majesty, and left it to rest upon his own author- 
ity. Appealing to his works, as the evidence of 
that authority, he said, " Believe me for re- 
works' sake." 

Thus much, I have thought proper to say, upon 
the subject of the authority of Christ, indicated 
in the fact, that he requires those who would 
learn of him, to take his yoke upon them. 

I shall spend the remainder of the time allotted 
to this discourse, in pointing out some of the 
heavy burdens, from which men are relieved, by 
coming to Christ; and in illustrating the posi- 
tion, that, "his yoke is easy, and his burder 
light," so that those who learn of him do, indeed 
find rest to their souls. 

Look for a moment, to the heathen world. 



226 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



Behold the heart-rending sacrifices, required at 
their hands, the modes of torture and cruelties of 
privation, imposed upon them, by their spiritual 
guides. 

Look at the followers of the Arabian prophet ; 
and mark the slavery of soul, to which they are 
subjected — the constant and irksome privations 
they must undergo — the multitude of ceremonies 
they must perform, and the weary pilgrimage to 
Mecca, that must be made. Look again at the 
Jews, — the fastings and ablutions, the costly 
sacrifices, and severe privations, they must under- 
go. And again, consider the violence to nature, 
the burdensome rites, the severe penance, and 
mortifications of the body, which professors of 
Christianity have sometimes inflicted upon their 
followers. Nay, fix your attention upon the fact, 
that, even now, a life of rigor and mortification, 
which crucifies the warmest and best affections 
of the heart, is deemed the best evidence of dis- 
cipleship, and the clearest title to a mansion in 
the skies. Behold, how often, the professor will 
say, " Away with your smooth and easy way of 
getting to heaven ! " and how earnestly he will 



REST FOE. THE WEARY. 227 

insist, that the path to the upper world, is one of 
weary toil, and hard, unattractive labor. Look at 
all this, and you can hardly fail of perceiving-, 
that there is, in these systems, little of rest to the 
weary soul, and with emphasis may it be said of 
the leaders in these matters, as the Saviour said 
to the Scribes and Pharisees, " Ye bind heavy 
burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them 
upon men's shoulders ; but ye, yourselves, will 
not move them with one of your fingers." 

But I pass these things ; and I take the duties 
which are actually required of men, and will 
attempt to show, that, under some circumstances, 
and with certain views, the same thing may be a 
heavy burden, which, otherwise, would be a pleas- 
ing privilege. 

It may be observed, in general, that Christ does 
not release his followers from the obligation of 
obedience to the law of God, but, thus much 
is binding upon all, who follow him. And now, 
what I wish to say is, that the question, whether 
this shall be a burden, or a pleasure, must 
depend entirely upon our views of the law. 

If a man believes, that he is bound, on pain of 



223 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



endless damnation, to keep perfectly the law of 
God; and at the same time is taught, in the 
language of the Catechism, that " No mere man, 
since the fall, has had power to keep the law, 
but daity doth break it in thought, word, and 
deed." If he thinks the law requires him, to 
create within himself, a new heart, and purge out 
the corruptions of his nature ; and yet, believes, 
that he " can neither amend his depraved nature, 
nor dispose himself to its amendment;" it is 
easy to see, that, with these views, the obligation 
to keep the law, would rest like a heavy burden 
upon him. But, if we look upon the law as holy, 
and the commandment as a perfect rule of right, 
requiring only, that which will promote our best 
good ; and forbidding only, that which is in itself 
evil, and calculated to do us an injury, — then^it 
is no heavy burden, or galling yoke, to keep the 
law. 

Let us descend to some particulars. 

Love to God is the first duty enjoined in the 
law; and our Saviour, sanctioned, as the first, and 
greatest of all the commandments, that, which 
saith, " Thou shalt love, the Lord thy God, with 



REST FOR THE WEARY. 



229 



all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all 
thy mind, and with all thy strength." Now, my 
position is, that this same requirement, which, as 
made by the Saviour, is easy, and joyous, be- 
comes, in the hands of men, an irksome task, 
and a burden, grievous to be borne. 

It certainly is no hard labor for children to 
love their parents, when they are kind to them, 
and do them good. But if the parent is morose 
and cruel, — if he rules with a rod of iron ; neg- 
lects to supply the wants of his family, and 
threatens them with tortures, like those of the 
inquisition, the children will find it no easy thing 
to love him ; and the obligation to do so, will not 
permit them to rest. And so in the case before 
us. It is no hard thing for a man to love God, 
if he is taught to believe, and does believe, that 
he is his friend and father ; "the chief among ten 
thousand, and the one altogether lovely ;" but, if 
he believes, that God is the w r orst and most dan- 
gerous enemy of his creatures, from whom they 
have less to hope, and more to fear, than from all 
the wicked men and devils in the universe, it will 
be hard to love him ; and the obligation to love, 
20 



230 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



in this case, will be like a chain of iron upon the 
neck. The character thus ascribed to God, is 
such, as if exhibited in man, would create noth- 
ing but loathing and utter abhorrence ; nor is 
there any course of reasoning, by which we can 
persuade ourselves, that it is more lovely in God, 
than in man. 

With such views, one must feel, that he is 
bound, by solemn ties, sanctioned by the most 
tremendous penalties, to love that, against which 
all his better feelings revolt ; and which, these 
feelings and his better judgment, unite in pro- 
nouncing worthy only of detestation. Would 
you be relieved of a burden such as this ? Go 
to him of Nazareth, and you shall find rest, in 
the assurance, that God is good, immensely and 
supremely good ; and that, you may look up to 
him, with the confidence of a child in a parent ; 
and rejoicing in the assurance, that he will never 
leave nor forsake you. He will assure 3-ou, that 
" God feeds the fowls of the air, and clothes the 
lilies of the neld," in garments of beauty, and 
hush your anxious fears to peaceful rest, by the 
blessed word, that, " Ye are much better than 



REST FOR THE WEARY. 



231 



they," and more dear and precious in his sight. 
That there is rest to the soul, in thus loving God, 
will appear from a moment's reflection. 

The great source of inquietude, in our attach- 
ments to our friends, is, the fear, that they may 
forsake us, and the knowledge, that, at some time, 
we must part. But God is worthy; he will never 
turn away his love, or separate us from it, but 
remaineth through endless years the same ; and 
he who has made him, first in the devotions of 
his heart, will find a calm and peaceful rest, in 
the strong conviction, that even though all else 
were removed, there would remain to him, what 
is better than all, even God, his unchangeable 
friend, and bountiful benefactor. 

II. Again, we are required to love our neighbor 
as ourselves. 

In order to do this willingly, and cheerfully, it 
is necessary to have correct views of our neigh- 
bors, in their nature and relations to us. 

If our hearts are puffed up with spiritual pride, 
and we consider ourselves as the peculiar favor- 
ites of heaven, and look upon others, as totally 
depraved children of Satan, hated and rejected 



232 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



of God, and destined to the companionship of 
demons, and the torments of hell ; we shall not 
find it an easy thing to love them, and the obliga- 
tion to do so, if admitted, will be found to be bur- 
densome. To be under the necessity of loving 
that, which God hates, and which is in itself no 
more, or better, than a mass of unmingled de- 
pravhy, is a yoke, galling to the neck. I thank 
God, that I have no neighbors, who are thus 
totally depraved, and the objects of his hatred, 
for I am sure I could not love them. 

But there is another view of this subject, wor- 
thy of a passing notice. If we could love our 
fellows with these views of their nature, relations 
and destiny, that love would afford no rest to the 
soul, but would be a source of constant annoy- 
ance and inquietude ; and the more ardently we 
loved them, the more miserable should we be. 
Suppose I love my neighbor as myself. I shall 
feel an interest in his welfare for time and eter- 
nity, and can no more rest, when these interests 
are in jeopard} T , than if my own were concerned. 
Suppose I believe that neighbor, whom I love so 
well, and whose welfare is so dear to my heart 



REST FOE THE WEARY. 



233 



is destined to writhe in the flames of hell forever. 
Never could I find rest in that love, for the 
thought would be painfully insupportable, and 
would haunt me day and night, like a ghost of 
despair from a world of sorrow and night. I tell 
you, it is no pleasing thing to love those of whose 
well-being we have no hope ; and better by far, 
would it be in such a case, if the heart were pet- 
rified and made hard as adamant, than to be 
softened by love, and probed with fears such as 
these. 

Let those who are weary and heavy ladened 
with burdens such as these, learn of Christ, and 
they shall find rest unto their souls. Let them 
like him, be meek and lowly in heart, esteeming 
others better than themselves, and look upon 
their fellow-men as brethren of the same family, 
children of the same father, and heirs of the same 
inheritance as themselves. With minds thus 
enlightened, they can love them with pure hearts 
fervently ; and that love, which before came tar- 
dily and reluctantly, as a mere matter of duty, 
rather than of inclination, will flow freely and 
spontaneously from the heart ; and there will be 
20* 



234 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



rest in the assurance that, what is begun on 
earth, shall be consummated in heaven, and remain 
and endure forever. Thus I *have shown as I 
proposed, that even the duties of the Gospel, 
which are in themselves most delightful and 
easy, may be so distorted, and perverted, as to 
become heavy burdens. 

There are other burdens more particularly con- 
nected with the theory of religion from which 
Jesus sets us free, and in regard to which he 
alone can give us rest. 

I notice first of all, the fear of death. 

" For this purpose was the Son of God mani- 
fested that he might destroy death, and him, that 
hath the power of death, and deliver those who 
through fear of death were all their life-time sub- 
ject to bondage." 

Nature with all her powers shudders at the 
thought of laying down in the darkness and 
silence of the grave ; and however much a cold 
and speculating philosophy may affect indiffer- 
ence, upon the question of future life, yet, there 
are seasons when that question will force itself 
upon our attention, with a power that cannot be 



REST FOE THE WEARY. 235 

resisted. When death puts forth his hand and 
touches some near and dear companion, of our 
earthly state; and with hearts heavy ladened 
with sorrow, we follow the sable hearse to the 
narrow house appointed for all the living ; tke?i, 
the question will come with a solemn and a thril- 
ling power, where now is my companion, my 
friend, or my child ? Must he sleep in everlast- 
ing silence in the grave ? Must I too, soon go 
down by his side, and dwell beneath the clods of 
the valley, in one moonless and starless night of 
eternal non-existence ? These I say, are ques- 
tions, which will force themselves upon the atten- 
tion of the most sceptical, and if not satisfactorily 
answered, they will impose a weary burden upon 
the soul. Jesus can give rest to those, that learn 
of him, even upon these the most momentous of 
all subjects. 

He nerves the palsied arm with strength, by 
displaying the banner of victory over death, upon 
the mountains of Zion afar. He speaks, and 
the veil spread over the future is moved away, 
and the "city which hath foundations, whose 
builder and maker is God, appears ;" and the 



236 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



eye upon which the night of death was settling, 
becomes radiant with hope, and the tongue breaks 
out in songs of triumph on the border of the 
grave. 

But it unfortunately happens, that this richest 
truth of Divine revelation, is so perverted and 
obscured by error, as to become a source of 
inquietude. Life is, indeed, sweet, and it might 
be cheering to learn, that we shall live beyond 
the grave. But even life itself is, under some 
imaginable circumstances, a curse. Hence, he 
whose eye of faith pierces the gloomy veil, only 
to rest upon the unutterable torments of the 
damned in hell, is in a far more unenviable con- 
dition, than the man who looks upon death as a 
quiet, but profound and endless sleep. It will 
not answer to persuade an individual, that so far 
as his own person is concerned, he is exempt 
from the rule, which consigns others to the pit of 
despair. Because, there are ties, which bind us 
all to friends or kindred, and make us feel, that, 
in some measure, at least, our interests are iden- 
tified with theirs. Look you at that mother, in 
the chamber of sickness. In the darkness of the 



REST FOR THE WEARY. 237 

silent night, she is watching the fitful slumbers 
of a dying child. She is a Christian, and for 
herself she has no fears. But that child, so dear, 
the light of her eyes and the joy of her heart, he, 
alas ! he is out of the ark of safety ! And as she 
gazes upon the eye, closing in death, the awful 
thought will come, more terrible than the yells 
of the furies, that when next that eye is opened, 
it will open, not upon a mother's tender form, 
but upon the fiends of darkness, and the grim 
demons, that sport in the writhings and contor- 
tions of deathless woe. O ! what anguish in 
such a thought! It goes down into the soul 
more bitter than the dregs of the cup of death, 
and freezes up every fountain of joy. Poor 
heart-stricken sufferer, I pity thee ! Heavy 
ladened, art thou indeed, and in vain seeks thy 
laboring soul for rest ! Listen, I pray thee, to 
that calm, sweet voice, which calls to you to-day 
as in the days of old, " Come unto me, all ye 
that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give 
you rest." Thither flee, ye sons and daughters 
of affliction ; ye childless mothers ; ye mourning 
widows ; ye fatherless children ; ye tempest* 



238 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



tossed ; ye worn and weary, with the battle of 
life. Look unto him, take his yoke upon you, 
and learn of him, for he is meek and lowly in 
heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls, 
for his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. 



SERMON XIII. 

CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY. 
Jesus wept. John 11 : 35. 

Among the ancients, there was a sect called 
Stoics, a distinguishing feature of whose doctrine 
was, that all outward objects, and circumstances 
were indifferent, to the truly wise and good. 
They looked, therefore, with an affected, or real 
insensibility, upon the sufferings and sorrows of 
others, and deemed it a mark of weakness, to be 
affected by the scenes of woe, with which they, 
in common with all others, were sometimes sur- 
rounded. Our blessed Saviour was no stoic, 
either in theory or practice. In his teachings he 
enjoins upon his followers a warm and generous 
sympathy with their fellow-men. He assures 
them, that they are all brethren of one family, 
and exhorts them to love one another, with pure 
hearts fervently. In his view, there was no 
higher ornament of human nature, than that feel- 



240 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



ing heart, which wept for others' woes ; which 
entered into the joy of those, who were in pros* 
perity, and shed tears of tenderness with those, 
who were low down m the vale of adversity. In 
perfect keeping with his teachings, was his exam- 
ple, in this respect. He felt for others' woes, and 
there was no form of human suffering - , which did 
not find in him compassion and relief. He min- 
gled his tears feelingly, and freely, with those 
that were bowed down with sorrow ; and thus, 
by his example, not less than his precept, he 
sought to nurture and cherish the kindly sympa- 
thies of our nature, and train us up, in the letter 
and spirit of that command, which enjoins it upon 
us to " Rejoice, with those that do rejoice, and 
weep, with those that weep." 

This is one of the most beautiful and precious 
features of the Gospel, and the most endearing 
and captivating attribute of its author. In no 
light does he appear so inexpressibly glorious, or 
so infinitely precious, as when w r e contemplate 
him, touched with feelings of sympathy and corn- 
passion for our sorrows, and affected, even unto 
tears, by the sufferings of the afflicted. We may 



CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY. 241 

look upon him as the messenger sent from God 
to save a world, clothed in all power in heaven 
and on earth. Yv r e may hear him utter the 
authoritative mandate, at which, the sick are 
healed, the lepers are cleansed, the blind eyes 
are opened, the deaf ears are unstopped, the lame 
leap as an hart, the dead are awakened from the 
sleep of death, and the heaving billows of the sea 
are hushed, and made smooth as a polished mir- 
ror. We may witness all this, by an eye of faith, 
and while we are astonished at the displays of 
his mighty power, we may feel assured that, in 
such an arm, we may safely trust. So, we may 
see him, as he goes in triumph to Jerusalem, 
amid the shouts and hosannas of the multitude ; 
and glory in the thought, that he is our Lord and 
Master. We may behold him upon the cross, 
pouring out his blood for the world, and praying 
for his murderers, even in the agonies of a cruel 
death ; and well may we thank God, that he was 
thus faithful to the work, given him to perform. 
We may see him again, in the glory of his resur- 
rection power, with the laurels of a victory over 
death, fresh and green, upon his brow. He 
21 



242 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



ascendeth on high, leading captivity captive, and 
in due time, shall put down all rule, all authority 
and power — all thrones and dominions shall 
serve and obey him, and the vast universe of 
intelligent beings, shall cast their crowns before 
him, and meekly bow at his feet. All this may 
we see, but the soul is awed to silence, and the 
mental vision is dazzled by the very magnificence 
and glory of the unearthly spectacle. We gaze 
upon it, as upon some stupendous drama, which 
passes, all gorgeous and splendid before our eyes, 
and perhaps, too keenly feel, that its leading 
character is not of earth, but exalted high above 
all our aspirations — too high, indeed, to be unto 
us, a pattern, or exemplar. 

But when from these vast, and wonderful dis- 
plays of a Saviour's glory, we turn to the simple 
and unpretending history of the text, we perceive, 
that we have again come down to the earth, and 
that, we are contemplating scenes, which come 
home to the "business and the bosoms" of men, 
in the common and familiar relations of human 
life. 

In the little town of Bethany, there was an 



CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY. 



243 



obscure and humble individual, named Lazarus, 
having two sisters, called Mary and Martha, who, 
in the absence of a father, looked upon their 
brother with great tenderness of affection, and 
confided in him, as their earthly counsellor, and 
protector. But that brother, so dear, fell sick 
and died ; and in much sorrow, and with many 
tears, they had deposited his remains in the 
tomb. So severe was their affliction, and so des- 
olate their condition, that their friends and neigh- 
bors had assembled, according to the custom of 
the times, to weep with them, and comfort them. 

At that time, Jesus and his disciples drew near 
to Bethan}^ and Martha ran out to meet him, on 
his approach, and to impart the sad tidings of the 
death of her brother. She returned and said to 
her sister, " The Master cometh and calleth 
thee." Then Mary also ran out to meet him, 
and fell at his feet saying — "Lord, if thou hadst 
been here my brother had not died." And when 
Jesus saw the anguish of her soul, and beheld 
also, the Jews, who were standing with her weep- 
ing, he was troubled in spirit, and said, " Where 
have ye laid him ?" And they said, " Come and 



244 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



see ;" and " Jesus wept." Here we recognize 
the beauty and glory of his character. He feels 
as man should feel. The weeping mourners are 
around him, their hearts smitten with grief, and 
their tears falling fast and freely. He hears 
their sighs — he listens to the audible bursting 
forth of their grief — his soul is melted in sym- 
pathy, and he wept with them. It is needless to 
add, that in this case, as in others, he put forth 
his hand for their relief; and in a moment, he 
who had exhibited the tenderness of his sympa- 
thies in being affected to tears, by the sorrow of 
those around him, uttered his voice, in the maj- 
esty and the power of God, saying, " Lazarus, 
come forth," and he that was dead heard, and 
was made alive. Grand and sublime was the 
spectacle, when death yielded up his prey, and 
the dead came forth in the habiliments of the 
grave, to cheer that weeping throng, and with his 
own living hand to wipe the tears from the eyes 
of his heart-stricken sisters. But more touching, 
more dear and precious to the soul, is the fact, 
that the strange and wonderful being, who stands' 
before us, clothed with the power over life and 



CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY. 



245 



death, has nevertheless a human heart, with all 
its best and holiest sympathies ; and that, he too, 
can weep, and mingle his tears with those of 
poor suffering man. We may adore the wonders 
of his power; but most, should we love the ten- 
derness of his compassion ; for there breathes the 
truth, that he is " bone of our bone and flesh of 
our flesh," and, that, we have indeed, " a merci- 
ful High Priest, who is touched with the feelings 
of our infirmities." 

Nor is this a solitary instance, where his spirit 
of tenderness was manifested. On a certain 
occasion he came nigh to the sea of Galilee, and 
went up into a mountain. His fame, had gone 
abroad, and great multitudes followed him. 
There were the sick, faint and dying, who had 
come to be healed, and the lame waiting for 
relief. And there were the blind, who had 
groped their way out to the desert, faintly hop- 
ing, that a word from the wondeiful stranger, 
of whom they had heard, might light upon their 
sightless eyeballs, and introduce them to the un- 
known beauties of a world, in which they had 
lived, but, which had been to them, one perpetual 
21* 



246 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



night, without a star. And there was the leper; 
a loathsome being, cast out from the synagogue, 
and shunned by his fellows ; and he had followed 
in the distance, and feared, while he hoped, that 
he might be cleansed. And there were the 
mourners, the widows and the fatherless chil- 
dren, drawn by an irresistible impulse, to hear 
from the God-sent messenger, the words of eter- 
nal life. And there stood that great throng, 
swaying to and fro, as the agitated waters of the 
ocean, jostling each other in the crowd, and wait- 
ing with eager eyes, and open ears, to see the 
far-famed Nazarene, or, to catch the distant 
sound of that voice, which could comfort the sor- 
rowful, give eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, 
ears to the deaf, health to the sick, and life to the 
dead. So wonderful were his works, that the 
time flew on apace, and ere they were aware, 
they had been with him three days. 

When Jesus looked around, upon that vast 
throng, and saw them, as lost sheep having no 
shepherd, he turned to his disciples and said, 
" I have compassion on the multitude, for they 
continue with me, now, three days, and have 



CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY. 247 

nothing to eat ; and I will not send them away 
fasting, lest they faint by the way." Here, as in 
pur text, we may see the fact manifested, that 
Jesus was no stoic ; but that, his heart was alive 
to human wants and sufferings, and his hand, 
ever ready, to afford relief. 

There is another incident recorded of him, 
which illustrates this same feature of his charac- 
ter. He came and drew near to Jerusalem, that 
great city, where his enemies were congregated, 
and ready to take his life ; and as he surveyed 
it, in its pride, and pomp, and wealth, and wick- 
edness, and knew that judgment was even then, 
gathering like a dark cloud, and would soon de- 
scend, in one terrible storm, upon the devoted 
city, he stood there, and wept over it, for he was 
moved with compassion, and said, " O Jerusa- 
lem ! Jerusalem ! How oft would I have gath- 
ered you, as a hen gathereth her brood under her 
wings, but ye would not." 

Thus did Christ manifest his sympathy with 
the dangers and sufferings of his bitter enemies ; 
and to me, these evidences of a Saviour's interest 
in the welfare of humanity, and of communion 



248 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



with all its woes, are among the most precious 
jewels in his life and ministry. Casually as 
they appear to be named, and incidentally, as 
they were presented ; yet, without them, his 
character would have been incomplete. He 
might, indeed have appeared glorious in his pow- 
er, and adorable in his goodness, and rich in his 
wisdom. Nevertheless, there would have been 
something wanting, to link him to our hearts, 
and bring him near to our souls. That some- 
thing, is furnished in the accounts given of his 
warm and generous sympathy with all our suffer- 
ings, and all our wants. True, he is still high, 
and lifted up, but he hears our faintest cries of 
distress, and not a sorrow, or a tear, escapes his 
notice. 

It seems proper to remark here, that, Jesus 
never wept for himself. He was truly " a man 
of sorrow, and acquainted with grief." He came, 
a stranger upon earth. Bom to an inheritance 
of poverty ; though the birds had their nests, and 
the foxes had holes, ' : the Son of man had not 
where to lay his head." He was persecuted and 
reviled, buffeted by the world, derided and 



CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY. 



249 



insulted of men, and lived in the midst of scenes 
of misery, which would have made an ordinary- 
man bewail his hard fate, and complain of the 
evils, he suffered. But nothing of this do we 
hear from him. On the contrary, he meekly 
bowed his head, and patiently endured the 
fiercest storms of the world's wrath, without a 
murmur, or a complaint. Self was forgotten, in 
his absorbing love for man. His own sorrows 
were buried in the silence of his own breast, and 
all his sympathies were absorbed in pity for the 
woes of others. The cruel ingratitude and invet- 
erate malice of the world — the scourge, the 
crown of thorns, the sweat of Gethsemane, the 
agony and blood of Calvary and its cross, could 
not draw a tear from his eyes ; for these were 
his own sufferings. But he wept for the woes 
of others. His heart melted, and he shed tears 
of sympathy with those, that wept around him. 
While, for himself, he could suffer and endure, 
and lean with confidence and cheerful hope upon 
the arm of his father, God ; yet, for others, he was 
moved with compassion, and subdued, even to 
tears. 



250 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



It may not be improper to remark further, that 
the kind and blessed Master wept over the actual 
sufferings of man, on earth, rather than their 
prospective woes, in another world. At the 
grave of Lazarus, there is no evidence, that he 
wept in view of the future and eternal condition 
of his friend. But he saw the Jews weeping at 
his side, and Mary and Martha, with scathed and 
smitten spirits, bewailing the loss of one, whose 
image was dear to their hearts ; and it was these 
actual and present sufferings, which opened the 
deep fountains of his sympathetic nature, and 
bathed his cheeks in tears. And so in the 
case of Jerusalem. He stood where he could 
behold that great city, with all its thronging mul- 
titudes of inhabitants, and knew full well, that 
the day of its desolation was at hand. The ele- 
ments of deep feeling were stirred within him, 
and he wept over it. But, there is no reason for 
the belief, that his sympathy was excited by a 
far-distant view of the tremendous woes, that 
awaited the people in the future and eternal 
world. On the contrary, he gives us the cause 
of his sorrow, in these words, — "For the days 



CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY. 



251 



shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall 
cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, 
and keep thee in, on every side, and shall lay 
thee even with the ground, and thy children with 
thee, and they shall not leave in thee, one stone 
upon another." This it was, that made him 
weep over the devoted city. And so, in the case 
of the multitude : his compassion was moved, 
and his sympathy enlisted, not by seeing them 
exposed to the vengeance of God, in a far-distant 
world ; but because he saw them suffering in the 
present. 

They had been with him three days in the 
wilderness, without food. He knew, that many 
of them came from afar, and were already weary 
and faint, and if he sent them away fasting, they 
would fall by the way. For this cause, he had 
compassion upon them, and fed them. 

I am led to these remarks, because they pre- 
sent the Saviour in bold relief, as practically, and 
entirely opposed to that Stoicism, which I named 
in the beginning of this discourse, which regards 
with indifference the outward sufferings of man, 
deeming them unworthy of notice ; as also, to 



252 



THE CROWN OF LITE. 



that view of the Divine economy, which begets 
a practical apathy to present evils, by magni- 
fying, and gazing with absorbing interest upon 
the ideal woes of another world. The truth is, 
the Saviour ever practised upon his own precept, 
" Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." 

I am deeply impressed with the conviction, 
that, it is far different with the world ; and that, 
from the beginning, men's sympathies have been 
far more moved by contemplation upon those 
evils, which have been anticipated in the future, 
than by proper attention to the actual sufferings 
of their fellow-men, on earth ; and that, they have 
been more solicitous to save from the former, than 
to weep over, and relieve the latter. 

Man has often been denounced, as hard-hearted 
and unfeeling ; as having no sympathies or tears 
for the sufferings of his fellow-man ; and I will 
not say, that these denunciations have been alto- 
gether without foundation in truth. But, I ven- 
ture to plead in behalf of human nature, that it 
has ever possessed and manifested, more of sym- 
pathy, than its traducers are willing to grant. 
The difficulty lies, not entirely, in man's want 



CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY. 



253 



of feeling, or interest in the welfare of his kin- 
dred race ; but in another, and oft-neglected truth, 
that his sympathies have been perverted, and 
drawn away from the reai evils of this world, to 
expend and waste themselves upon the expected 
torments of another mode of existence. The 
entire history of the religious efforts of the world, 
is but an illustration of this fact. The whole 
race has been excited to strong and vigorous 
efforts, in every age. They have offered victims 
upon a thousand altars. The}^ have built tem- 
ples, whose domes went up among the clouds. 
They have submitted to privations and hardships, 
not a few. They have toiled incessantly, and 
with a martyr's zeal. They have poured out 
their silver and gold, and even their blood, like 
water ; and have expended enough of labor and 
substance, to have banished the evils of poverty, 
want, and ignorance from the face of the earth ; 
and to have dried up, once and forever, the deep- 
est, and bitterest fountains of human suffering. 

Even, at the present hour, the sympathy of 
man for man, is active and strong. All over the 
civilized world, the devotees of religion are en- 
22 



254 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



gaged, rearing costly temples, devoting mines 
of wealth, and an incredible amount of time and 
toil, to the good of man. Sympathy for human- 
ity is an important element in the power, that 
moves to these efforts. But, unfortunately, that 
sympathy is invoked in favor of the far-distant 
woes of the future, rather than the real evils of 
the present ; and is employed in devising, and 
executing means for escaping the one, rather 
than relieving the other. Everywhere, man 
weeps as Jesus wept, but not for the same cause. 
He wept for the present, while man weeps for 
the future, and so freely do the tears now over it, 
that there are few to spare, for the actual, and 
every-day sufferings of human life. I do not 
say, that the religious efforts, of the world, are 
entirely barren or unfruitful, in regard to present 
suffering, or, that they relieve none of it. But 
what I wish to say is, that this is but an inci- 
dental matter, while the great leading object, 
has been to save from the tremendous woes of 
another world. And this has absorbed human 
sympathy, and human effort, in all ages. 

I hail it, however, as one of the most auspi- 



CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY. 



255 



cious signs of the times, that the sympathies of 
our race, are beffnining in some degree, to flow 
in the channel, indicated by the example of the 
blaster. This is an age of benevolent effort, and 
if there is not more of sympathy for man. in the 
present, than in any previous age, it is at least 
true, that more of it is devoted to the relief of 
present suffering, and to the melioration of the 
condition of man, on earth. 

Man now weeps for the ignorance of his broth- 
er, and he establishes the school, the seminary, 
or the college ; and rears an institution of learn- 
ing, at every door; where even the poor and the 
needy may freely drink, at the fountains of 
knowledge. He sees his brother in oppression, 
and bondage, and he puts forth a strong hand to 
deliver the down-trodden, and give liberty to the 
world. He pities the sick, the blind, the deaf, 
the dumb, and the insane, and he builds an insti- 
tution, where they can dwell in comparative com- 
fort, and happiness. And so, all around us, there 
are rising institutions and combinations, for the 
relief of every kind and form of human mis- 
ery ; and the great heart of humanity beats with 



256 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



new interest, in the sufferings of the world ; and 
its strong arm is toiling earnestly, under the dis- 
covery, that there is hope for man, even on earth. 
Goodly prospects portend the time approaching, 
when the human soul shall be so baptized in the 
spirit of the Divine Master, that, it shall have a 
tear for ever} 7 woe, and a hand to offer relief, to 
every want. Then, shall earth's sorrows be mit- 
igated, if not entirely relieved. Meantime, let 
us remember, that Jesus is our great example ; 
and that the more tender our sympathies, and 
the more ready we are, to weep with those that 
weep, the more do we partake of his spirit, and 
the better is our claim to the title of his fol- 
lowers. Only, let that spirit be in us and abound 
— let it extend abroad from heart to heart, from 
neighborhood to neighborhood ; from city to city, 
from nation to nation, until it has perv r aded, and 
sanctified every soul ; and then, shall Christ's 
kingdom be triumphant, his empire complete, 
and earth be paradise again. He, who wept 
shall weep no more, for the morning of an efful- 
gent day shall have succeeded to the night of our 
sorrows. 



SERMON XIV. 

THE TRUE MODE OF CHRISTIAN EFFORT. 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good 
Korks, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matt. 5 : 16. 

The religion of Jesus Christ inculcates the 
utmost frankness and candor, as important du- 
ties. It everywhere, and always, reprobates 
hypocrisy and concealment, as among the lowest 
and most guilty vices. It does not, indeed, urge 
men rashly to engage in its defence, or to go 
thoughtlessly into its profession, " as the horse 
rusheth into the battle." On the contrary, it 
requires every man to sit down and " count the 
cost," before he begins to build. It demands an 
investigation, and asks us to embrace it with the 
understanding and the heart. And the man who 
hesitates to avow, or fears to act upon his faith, 
it compares to the foolish one, who should light a 
candle and hide it under a bushel, so that its 
jght might not be seen. Thus, does it set the 
22* 



258 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



seal of its disapprobation upon all attempts at 
concealment. 

The Divine Master went even farther than 
this, and taught his followers, that all attempts to 
compromise the matter, and make concord be- 
tween his Gospel and the wisdom of the world, 
would be Tain and fruitless. The world was 
dark, and he came as a " bright and shining 
light." Between this light, and that darkness, 
there could be no agreement. "Where the light 
shines, the darkness must flee away. " No man 
can serve two masters, for either he will love the 
one and hate the other, or else, he will hold to one, 
and despise the other." Hence the propriety, and 
the necessity, that every man should distinctly 
and honestly place himself upon one side, or the 
other, and openly avow the master whom he 
intends to serve. 

In attempting to make an application of the 
principle of the text to the present, it is proper 
to say, in the outset, that there is yet remaining 
in the world, much of moral and spiritual dark- 
ness. The false doctrines, and corrupt practices 
of the past, have come down to us through the 



CHRISTIAN EFFORT. 



259 



revolving ages, and the clear light of gospel 
truth and duty, is but dimly seen, by many, and 
entirely unseen, by vast multitudes of the human 
race. If, indeed, this Gospel is the true light of 
the world, and if Divine wisdom has ordained, 
that it shall be spread abroad, in any degree, by 
human agency, or human effort; then is it mani- 
festly the duty of every man, in whose soul the 
candle of the Lord has been lighted, to take the 
best means in his power, to let that light shine 
upon the darkness with which he is surrounded. 
Our duty in the premises, being plain, and, as I 
judge, indisputable, I shall make it the main 
object of this discourse, to consider the instru- 
mentalities, which are appropriate to the most 
faithful and efficient discharge of the obligation 
here imposed. 

There are several ways in which, every be- 
liever in Christ's Gospel may aid in spreading its 
blessed light abroad, among his fellow-men. Of 
these I name — 

I. An open profession of the Christian faith. 

This is the first, and most obvious step to be 
taken, by any man, who would engage in the 



260 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



propagation, or defence, of any system of truth, 
or duty. And that man, who thinks to advance 
the interests of any honest enterprise, by con- 
cealing his convictions, and fleeing from the 
responsibility of an open avowal of his faith, 
is not less foolish, than, if he should attempt 
to enlighten the darkness of the midnight hour, 
by lighting a candle, and concealing it under 
a bushel. As well may you contend, that Peter 
was faithfully serving his Master, and advan- 
cing his cause, when he denied him, and pro- 
fanely asserted, that he knew not the man; as 
to pretend, that any other man is doing his whole 
duty, as a Christian, while he conceals his con- 
victions, and refuses to take upon himself the 
name, and the open and fearless profession of the 
Master's cause. In all the examples and teach- 
ings of the Saviour, there is nothing to justify 
the idea, that he desired or countenanced the 
propagation of his religion, by stealth, or hypoc- 
risy. On the contrary, with him, everything 
was open, and above-board. He boldly uttered 
the truth, in all its fulness, never seeking to 
please the bigots, with whom he was surrounded, 



CHRISTIAN EFFORT. 



261 



by attempting to pass for one of their own num- 
ber. He sought not, even to make the difference 
between his religion, and the popular systems of 
that day, appear less than it really was. But, 
with the utmost frankness, he proclaimed his 
Gospel, and everywhere, avowed his adherence to 
its sublime and heart-cheering truths. 

The same honesty and boldness he required of 
his followers. He demanded that they should 
" confess him before men," and assured them, 
that whoever would not thus confess him, was 
not his disciple. On the contrary, of those who 
were ashamed to confess him, would he, also, be 
ashamed. And when he sent out his disciples to 
preach, he sent them openly, and in his own 
name, and promised the descent of the Holy 
Spirit, and the gift of miracles, only, to those who 
went in that name. 

The fearful, and the hypocritical, might attempt 
to spread the Gospel by stealth, and by conceal- 
ing its identity, until the day of their death, and 
there is no blessing promised upon their labors. 
But, to those, who were not ashamed of the Gos- 
pel, nor afraid to proclaim it, in the name of its 



262 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



Divine Author, the promise was, that he would 
be with them to bless them, and they should be 
" endued with power from on high." 

There is a worldly policy in vogue, which 
seeks to become all things to ail men, in a sense 
widely different from that, in which the apostle 
used the phrase. It repudiates all names, as 
indicative of the character of any system ; and, 
accommodating itself to the prejudices of the men 
of every creed, seeks, insensibly to infuse into 
their hearts the principles of the Gospel, and thus, 
to make them Christians, ere they are aware, that 
they have departed from the landmarks of their 
ancient faith. 

And then, again, there are others, who would 
receive and cherish the Gospel, in the silence and 
secrecy of their own hearts. It is enough for 
them, that they believe in Christ; to confess him 
they are afraid, or ashamed. In the private circle, 
and in the presence of friends, they can profess 
faith in the Lord Jesus, and great attachment to 
his cause ; but in the world, they choose to pass 
in the crowd — to be numbered with the mass of 
mankind, and to avoid every act, by which they 



CHRISTIAN EFFORT. 



263 



shall stand committed to the cause of Christ, ol 
identified with those who bear his name. 

Why men should adopt a policy of this sort, in 
religion, it is not easy to determine ; for surely, no 
honest man thinks of pursuing such a course, in 
any other matter of importance. In science, the 
man who would advance its cause, comes out as 
its advocate. In philosophy, the propounder of a 
new system, openly avows his object, and those 
who receive his theor}^ declare their convictions 
of its truth, and labor to propagate it among men. 
And so, in the political world. If a man receives 
the doctrines, and cherishes the principles of any 
of the great parties, which from time to time 
arise, he thinks not to advance his views by 
shrinking from all responsibility, and refusing to 
be numbered with, or called by the name of the 
party, whose interests he would advance. But, 
he comes out openly, and gives his labors, his 
means, his name, and whatever of influence he 
possesses, to the advancement of the principles he 
has embraced. 

So should it be in religion ; and, to say nothing 
of the real impolicy of a contrary course, it is cer- 



264 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



tain, that, it finds no countenance from the pre- 
cept, or the example of Christ. He would have 
every man let his light shine before the world, 
and confess, with his lips, what his heart be- 
lieves. 

II. Another means of causing the light of Gos- 
pel truth and duty to prevail, is an individual life 
of strict conformity to the temper and spirit of the 
Saviour. 

This is the best and surest test, of the truthful- 
ness of men's professions. Many there are, who 
will say, Lord, Lord, and be long and loud in 
their professions of attachment to his religion. 
But these are not always the words of truth and 
soberness. "If ye love me, ye will keep my 
commandments," said the Saviour ; and here, is 
indicated the fact, that fealty to the laws of Jesus, 
is the true test of love for him. An open avowal 
of faith, is, indeed, demanded by the commonest 
honesty, from every man, who truly believes ; 
and such an avowal is calculated to give strength, 
and influence to the cause of truth. But the 
question, whether that profession is sincere, or 
otherwise, must, after all, be decided by the life 



CHRISTIAN EFFORT. 



265 



of the man. No faith is inert, or devoid of influ- 
ence upon the conduct. Least of all, is the faith 
of the Gospel dead, powerless, or inoperative. 
On the contrary, it is compared to leaven, which 
diffuses itself through the whole lump, with 
which it is brought in contact. If this faith 
dwells truly, in the heart, it will show its fruits, 
in the life ; and hence, where these fruits are not 
found, we are warranted in the conclusion, that 
the faith is wanting. And whatever the profes- 
sion may say, we must ultimately judge the tree 
by its fruits, and thus arrive at the real truth in 
the case. 

Let it be remembered, then, that the most 
effectual argument, which can be offered in favor 
of the religion of Christ, lies in the consistent, 
the correct, the actively benevolent, lives of its 
professors. The truth may be proclaimed in all 
its power, and with a cogency of argument, which 
no sophistry can evade, and, that it will ultimately 
prevail, I doubt not. But it must be lived, as 
well as preached ; and we may be well assured, 
its progress will be slow, and its triumph far dis- 
tant, unless it is commended to men's hearts and 
23 



266 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

consciences, by a well-ordered life, and virtuous 
conversation, on the part of those who believe. 

It is not claiming too much, to say, that the 
Gospel has been, and can be, defended by argu- 
ments whose force cannot be evaded. But its 
strength is not there. It is comparatively a small 
matter, that it can be defended and enforced, by 
dint of the soundest modes of reasoning. But let 
us see its believers, ardent and devoted, their 
lives harmless and blameless, and their hearts 
purified from all evil ; and I will point to them, 
and say, These are the witnesses, whose testi- 
mony cannot be impeached, and whose influence 
cannot be resisted. Thus, can each, and every 
one of us, commend our most holy faith to the 
world ; for whether we know it or not, we are 
really strong only in virtue, and prosperous only, 
when we are progressing in virtue and righteous- 
ness. 

i III. We may promote the cause of Christianity 
by union and concert of action, and by organized 
and systematic effort. 

I have no peculiar feeling in favor of building 
up a sect, or party, in religion. But the differ- 



CHRISTIAN EFFORT. 



267 



ence between our faith, and that of the popular 
religionists of the day, is so wide and radical, 
that I see not how we can consistently amalga- 
mate with any of the prevailing sects ; or how we 
can avoid the necessity of a distinct and separate 
organization. I care, indeed, but little for the 
success of any sect, merely as a sect. But I do 
care much, for the success of the holy and blessed 
truths of the Gospel. If these could prevail, and 
spread their hallowed influences abroad — if they 
could go, with all their healing power, into the 
hearts of the sinful and wandering, to call them 
back to God — if they could reach the poor, the 
afflicted, the widow and the fatherless, the de- 
sponding, the sick, and the dying, and give them 
good hope, and everlasting consolation through 
faith — if they could be sent home to the souls 
of the morally dead, to awaken them to new 
life ; and bring forth abundantly of fruits to bless 
the poor and needy, without the organization of a 
sect, or denomination ; I should be satisfied, if 
every denominational organization were blotted 
out. But it cannot be done. It was never 
known, that any system was spread far and wide, 



268 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



in the midst of opposition, without united and 
systematic effort. The early advocates of the 
religion of Christ came out from the body of the 
people, and formed a distinct sect. Under their 
own banner, they went into the contest for prin- 
ciple and duty ; and, in their own way, they wor- 
shipped the God of their fathers, and strove 
together for the faith of the Gospel. And thus, 
by giving form and body to Christianity, and con- 
cert and harmony to their efforts, they caused the 
light to penetrate the darkness, by which they 
were surrounded, and went on to triumphant 
success. 

So the reformers, who rose up and labored to 
scatter the darkness, which had been, for ages, 
accumulating in the Church, knew the power of 
united action. They sought not to conceal their 
light, but to let it shine. For this purpose, they 
united their efforts, and concentrated their power, 
for the promotion of the interests of that blessed 
cause, in which they were engaged. And so it 
has been with all great revolutions. Their 
advocates have stood out boldly ; and they have 



CHRISTIAN EFFORT. 



269 



been accomplished, not by isolated, or fragment- 
ary, but by united and concentrated efforts. 

The present age is peculiar, in this respect. 
The great truth, that union is strength, is better 
understood, and more generally applied to all the 
enterprises of men, than in any previous age. 
Never has there been a period, when the princi- 
ple of associated action — that mighty power, akin 
to Omnipotence itself — has been so generally 
developed, or so universally adopted. On every 
side, combinations are formed for purposes, so- 
cial, benevolent, political, moral and religious, 
and are devoting their mighty energies to the 
ends proposed. Dissolve these combinations — 
strike down these organized bodies — and throw 
the great reforms, to which they are devoted, back, 
to depend upon the labors of isolated individuals, 
and they will all languish, if they do not actually 
die. 

Let any man reflect, for one moment, upon the 
circumstances to which we have alluded, and he 
will clearly perceive, that the Christian Church 
cannot hope for much success, without a thorough 
and efficient organization. As well might a pro- 
23* 



270 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



rniscuous multitude expect to contend successfully, 
without arms, or a commander, against a well- 
organized army of disciplined soldiers. 

But if it is important, that the Church should 
be so organized as to present a solid phalanx, 
powerful for good, it is still more important, that 
its energies should be properly directed, and de- 
voted to the true works of the Master. 1 take it, 
that the same law, which binds the individual 
man, has equal claims upon the great body of the 
Church ; and if the former is bound to let his 
light so shine before men, that they may see his 
good works; the latter cannot plead an exemption 
from the binding obligation of that law. The 
Church, not less than the individual, is bound 
to engage in good works ; and that is a poor 
and miserable apology for a church organization, 
which does not devote itself to this end, and pro- 
vide, in a regular and systematic manner, for the 
discharge of the practical duties of the Gospel. 

And here I am reminded of, what I can but 
regard, as a radical, and I had almost said, fatal 
defect, in the organic structure of the mass of 
Churches, at the present moment — a defect which 



CHRISTIAN EFFORT. 271 

may be traced, perhaps, to a recoil from the eccle- 
siastical tyranny of former ages ; and which, in 
its anxiety to avoid domination, and secure lib- 
erty, has gone very near the opposite extreme, of 
anarchy ; and thus divested the body of Christ of 
half its power for good. Who has seen, or who 
now sees, the good works of our Churches, as 
such ? What are they organized for, and what 
good works do they propose, or pretend to per- 
form ? The solemn truth is, they have done 
little, or nothing, in the field of active benevo- 
lence. They have contented themselves with 
announcing theories, and disseminating dogmas. 
They have busied themselves in tinkering creeds, 
in denning what is orthodoxy; and in hunting out 
heresy, with keenest scent, and preserving the 
standard of faith from innovation. But, the par- 
amount duties of the Gospel — the practical works 
of benevolence — feeding the hungry, and cloth- 
ing the naked — visiting the sick, and those that 
are in prison ; — these all-important duties, which 
form the basis, on which the Divine Master 
judges who are, and who are not, his disci- 
ples, enter not into the category of things to be 



272 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



done, by the Church. These are all left to be 
performed, if at all, by the disjointed and frag- 
mentary efforts of individual men and women, 
as time and chance may determine, guided by no 
system, and directed to no general end. May I 
not ask again, Who sees the good works of the 
Churches, and is thereby led to glorify our Fa- 
ther who is in heaven ? Where are the poor 
they have blessed — the hungry they have fed — 
the naked they have clothed — the sick they have 
visited — the prisoner, whose lonely cell has been 
cheered — the widows and orphans, whose hearts 
have been made to sing for joy ? I speak not of the 
individual members of our Churches, and of their 
works, in this respect, for I know the kind in heart 
are everywhere. But I speak of the Churches, 
in their capacity as organized bodies of professing 
Christians ; and, as such, I say, they are awfully 
barren and unfruitful, in these the true works of 
the Master. I willingly believe, the difficulty is 
not in the hearts of the people ; for in any of our 
Churches, there is enough of the spirit of Christ, 
to labor in the field of Gospel duty, and do deeds, 
on earth, that angels might admire in heaven; 



CHRISTIAN EFFORT. 



273 



and which men might regard as the brightest 
evidences of the glory of God, in his earthly 
Zion. But the error is in the fact, that, this 
benevolence has not been called out, to regular 
and systematic action. The Church has done 
what it has proposed to do, and I will not say, it 
has not done it well. But the truth is, it has not 
proposed to do the good works, in which its high- 
est energies ought always to be engaged. Indi- 
rectly, no doubt, the Church has done much good. 
' It has fostered the kind and tender sympathies of 
the human heart. It has preserved the worship 
of God, and moulded the hearts of the people, in 
some measure, into the spirit and temper of 
Christ. And with hearts thus prepared, they 
have gone out into the world, and done some- 
thing of good. But they have labored under all 
the disadvantages of isolation ; and have felt, 
that the evils to be remedied were as mountains, 
which they could not remove. 

It is, in my judgment, time that all those, who 
believe the Gospel of Jesus, should determine to 
" let their light shine," through all the means I 
have indicated — through an open profession of 



274 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



the religion of Christ — an individual life of 
practical conformity to its spirit ; and united, con- 
centrated and systematic efforts for the further- 
ance of the great ends of the Gospel. 

Thus of individuals, and then the Churches 
should rise and shake themselves from the dust, and 
go, in good earnest, about the Master's business. 
The great works of practical benevolence, so im- 
peratively demanded, by the letter, and the spirit 
of the Gospel of Christ, should no longer be left, 
to individual effort, to be done, or undone, as 
chance may determine ; but they should enter 
into the first and highest objects of the organic 
structure of the body of the Church. They 
should be made matters of regular and system- 
atic labor ; and to them should be applied all the 
superior, and accumulated energies of the social 
compact. The man who enters the Church should 
feel, that his strength is thereby increased ; that 
he has there, a kind foster-mother, who will 
stand by him in the day of his calamity, and sus- 
tain him when his strength fails. He should 
understand, moreover, that, there is opened to 
him, a new field of benevolent effort, and that, he 



CHRISTIAN EFFORT. 



275 



is therein, furnished with facilities, which will 
render his labors of love doubly effectual. 

When our Churches shall be thus organized, 
and their strength expended in efforts, for the 
melioration of suffering humanity, then shall 
their light shine, clear as the sun; and men 
shall see their good works and glorify their 
Father who is in heaven ; and Zion shall put on 
her beautiful garments and rejoice in the abun- 
dance of her prosperity. 



SERMON XY. 



GOD OUR STRENGTH. 

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer ; my 
God, my strength, in whom I will trust ; my huckler, and the horn 
of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm IS: 2. 

Humaj^ life is, at best, but a chequered scene 
of sorrow and of joy. Many ills and dangers are 
unavoidably incident to this frail state of mor- 
tality, and through them we must make our way; 
and no man may expect to pass them, without 
feeling their power to annoy, if not, positively to 
injure. 

Such is the fixed and unalterable decree of 
Heaven, and it cannot be reversed. We may 
dream of Utopian fields, where sorrows never 
come ; and speculate of realms on earth, where 
our pathway will be strewed with flowers, with- 
out a thorn, and where the bright skies shall be 
without a cloud. And this- may answer well for 
poetry or fiction. But when we come to deal 
with matters of fact, in sober prose, we must open 



GOD OUR STRENGTH. 



271 



our eyes upon the stubborn truth, that we are 
compassed about with many infirmities, — that 
we are beset with temptations, sorrows and suf- 
ferings ; and that, many stern conflicts must be 
endured in this imperfect world. It is of no use 
to talk in a different strain, for the fact is written 
upon the history of the world, and engraved upon 
every page of human experience. 

Hence arises the necessity of a prudent fore- 
sight, to provide against the evil day, and to 
seek some rock of defence, some shield or buck- 
ler, or some -strong tower of safety, to which we 
can flee, when the battle rages, and foes press 
heavily upon us. When the mariner is about 
to sail for a distant land, he prudently calculates 
upon the dangers that await him. He knows, 
that the trackless ocean, with its heaving waves 
and boisterous winds, is before him ; and to the 
best of his ability, provides the means of meeting 
every emergency. And so, when a city is men- 
aced by the arm of war ; the inhabitants pre- 
pare to abide the conflict. Their valiant men 
are trained in the arts of war, until they are 
strong; the sword and the buckler are made 
24 



278 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



ready ; the walls of adamant are strengthened, 
and the towers and fortresses are made still 
more impregnable ; so that, when sword and spear 
fail, a retreat may be found in their fastnesses. 
And so ought men to do when entering upon the 
voyage of life ; and when threatened by the ene- 
mies, that await them, and the dangers, that 
stand thick through all the way. The voice of 
wisdom cries, loudly, for every man to gird on 
his sword, to take his shield and buckler and pre- 
pare for the conflict ; and not only so, but to pro- 
vide some rock or tower, to which he can flee for 
refuge when worn with the toil, or faint with the 
heat of the great battle of life. 

I know there is an idea in the world, that 
man's destinies are so much the sport of fortune, 
or chance, or so moulded by an iron fate, that he 
had better sit him down, and bare his unprotected 
and unsheltered head to the "peltings" of the 
storm, and wait, with all the fortitude he can 
command, the unforeseen issue of events, which he 
cannot control. And I grant, that, the ultimate 
destinies of men are controlled by a higher 
power, and that, many of the ills, and dangers of 



GOD OUR STRENGTH. 279 

life are unavoidable. But, it should be remem- 
bered, that he who shapes these destinies, works 
always, by appropriate means, and agencies; and 
the fact, that perils and dangers cannot be 
avoided; instead of affording an argument for 
supineness, and inactivity, is in itself the best 
reason, for a sleepless vigilance in preparing to 
meet them. To us, storms and tempests, and all 
the changes and vicissitudes of the weather are 
unavoidable. Spite of all, our power, come they 
must, and come they will. But who thence 
infers, that he has nothing to do, but sit down 
and meet the storm, and abide the heat and cold? 
Nay, but the very fact, that they are unavoidable, 
is the best possible reason why, we should pre- 
pare a shelter and a shade. 

And so, of the ills of life. Many of them we 
cannot avoid, and therefore it is, that we should 
seek an antidote ; prepare ourselves with strength 
to endure them, and with a rock of safety when 
they come. 

The text tells us where that antidote, that 
strength, and that rock may be found. It is in 
God. There the poor, the afflicted and needy, 



280 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



the worn, the faint and weary, find strength, 
comfort, and a safe retreat when the battle waxes 
hot around them. The figures here employed 
are peculiarly emphatic and strong. The idea 
is, that of a battle, and the imagery is suited to 
every emergency. God is set forth as the rock 
of defence ; the strength of the arm ; the buckler ; 
the deliverer ; the horn of salvation, and the 
strong tower of safety ; and without entering into 
an illustration, in detail, it sufflceth for our pres- 
ent purpose to say, that all this imagery is de- 
signed to present a lively idea, of perfect safety 
in God, to those who trust in him ; and that, he 
may be relied upon for support and protection, in 
all the dangers and difficulties of life. 

It is sometimes objected to the religion of God, 
that the proofs of its excellency and Divine power, 
are far-fetched and theoretical, rather than tangi- 
ble and real ; and it is precisely upon this point, 
that I desire the labor of this discourse to bear. 

I shall, therefore, attempt to show you, that 
the spirit of the text, as applied, not only to its 
author, but also to all, who are like him, is not 
mere theory, but fact solid and substantial. The 



GOD OUR STRENGTH. 



281 



infidel may laugh, and despise the religion of the 
Bible, with all its hopes and joys, and call it fic- 
tion or fanaticism ; but, if he will open his eyes, 
he shall see, in the history of the world, and in 
ten thousand facts around him, this truth most 
plainly manifest ; that God has been, and is, to 
his creatures, all the text declares him to be, or 
to have been, to the Psalmist. 

Take if you please, in the first place, the evils 
of poverty and destitution of physical comfort ; 
and see, what strength those who endure them, 
gather from their confidence in God. The rich 
and the prosperous are prone to forget their de- 
pendence upon the Most High, and to refuse the 
consolations of his holy word. But the poor, and 
those who are in circumstances of outward dis- 
tress, are constantly reminded of their own help- 
lessness, and compelled to seek strength and sup- 
port from God. Nor do they seek in vain. The 
fountain is always full, and its streams never run 
dry. The religion of God, is emphatically the 
religion of the poor and needy. It comes to 
them, in the midst of their privations, and wants, 
and bids them hope for riches in heaven, where 
24* 



282 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

moth and rust doth, not corrupt, and where 
thieves do not break through and steal ; and 
promises an inheritance there, which is incor- 
ruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away. 

"When the messengers came to Christ, and 
desired to know whether he was the Messiah ; 
among the evidences of his Divine mission, we 
find this brief, but comprehensive sentence, " The 
poor have the Gospel preached unto them." 

This was one of its peculiar characteristics : 
it was adapted to the condition, and suited to 
the wants of the poor and lowly. He passed 
by the opulent, and the great, as less needy, that 
he might go to the poor and distressed, and give 
them of the riches of that truth, which is bread 
to the hungry, and cool water to the thirsty soul. 
He proclaimed there, the great truth, that we 
have all in heaven, a father, who careth for us ; 
and that, he will faithfully stand by us, and de- 
fend us, when all other friends fail. Yea, we are 
all, high and low, rich and poor, heirs of God, 
and joint heirs with Christ, to an inheritance, 
that endureth forever. And how peculiarly well 
calculated are doctrines like these, to meet the 



GOD OUR STRENGTH, 



283 



wants of those, who are struggling in the low 
vale of poverty ! When the griping hand of want 
is upon us, our earthly stores are gone, and 
there is no kind hand to relieve our wants, how 
joyful is the thought, that we have a Father, 
above, who is richer than all ; and that, he has 
graciously made us heirs of the countless treas- 
ures of an immortal life ! How consoling the 
reflection, that the time draweth nigh, when we 
shall come in possession of the inheritance thus 
bequeathed to us, by our father, God ! And bet- 
ter yet ; enriching us will not in the least impov- 
erish our fellow-creatures, for there is enough for 
all ; and though the heirs of this heavenly 
estate, are as numerous as the sons and daugh- 
ters of Adam, yet, not one of them shall be 
turned away empty. In yonder blessed man- 
sions above, " the rich and the poor shall meet 
together," with the angels, and the spirits of the 
just made perfect; the beggar and the prince 
shall stand upon one common level of pensioners 
upon the rich grace of God, and go no more out, 
but the Lamb shall feed them, and God himself 
shall be with them. 



284 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



Now, call this fiction, or fable, if you will , 
but, it is evident, upon the face of it, that such 
views meet the wants of the struggling poor; and 
that, through them, God becomes the "strength 
of the needy in their distress," and the only rock 
upon which they can stand securely, amid the 
waves that roll, and threaten to overwhelm them. 

I ask the rankest infidel that lives, to go and 
visit the abodes of the humble and virtuous poor, 
whose trust is in the Lord ; and mark the influ- 
ence exerted upon trustful and devout hearts, 
amid the wreck of all earthly -hopes, and then 
see if faith and hope in God are useless. It 
is an humble abode, affording but a poor shelter 
from the winter's wind. In that lowly cot, are 
gathered parents and children, brothers and sis- 
ters ; their clothing scant and poor, their fare of 
the coarsest kind. Perhaps, the last fire emits its 
feeble blaze upon the hearth-stone, and the last 
morsel of bread is upon the homely board ; and 
where the supply for the morrow is to be found, 
God only knows. But peace and hope are there. 
The prattling children lisp their little joys, and 
the father breathes his prayer and his praises to 



GOD OUR STRENGTH. 



285 



God. He retires to his rest, and sleeps sweetly 
in his trustful hope, that he who hears the raven 
when he cries, and suffers not the sparrow to fall, 
without his notice, will not leave or forsake him ; 
and in the morning he goes to his toil without a 
murmuring word. This is no fancy sketch, but 
it is drawn from life ; and I hazard nothing in 
saying the veriest infidel that lives, has looked 
upon its likeness, and is fully aware, that you 
can find in the midst of scenes li\e this, calmer, 
and more contented minds, and purer and serener 
joy, than often dwell in the palaces of the rich. 
May I ask for the reason? What is it, that 
sustains the soul and makes life comfortable, 
and even calm and joyful, where your philos- 
ophy and mine, would fail, and leave us in dark 
despair ? There is but one answer, that can be 
given. It is hope — hope beaming from the fair 
face of the Lord's anointed, and shedding a mild 
and cheerful radiance upon the night of human 
want and human woe. God is their refuge and 
their strength. In him do they trust with an 
unfaltering confidence, and this is the secret of the 
whole matter. This, it is, that affords the true 



286 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



reason of that resignation and peace, which 
shines out from the most dreary abodes of pov- 
erty and want, I do not say always, but certainly 
full often. Call it a delusion, or a dream if you 
must. It is surel}- a pleasant dream, a happy 
delusion. But whatever you may see proper to 
call it, the fact is incontrovertible. Through this 
faith God becomes the rock and the strength of 
his children — their shield and their buckler, and 
the high tower to which they flee, when the ills 
of life press heavily upon them. 

But look again, at the case as it stands in sea- 
sons of sorrow and affliction. There are storms, 
that will rise and beat upon all. Sickness preys 
upon our bodies ; death cuts down the nearest 
and dearest earthly friends, and at last, he will 
come and call us hence, to be here no more. But 
in the midst of these sore and pressing ills, there 
is a sustaining and comforting power in the 
religion of God, which arms the soul with forti- 
tude, patience and resignation, and makes us feel, 
that we are blessed, even in our hours of deepest 
sorrow. Go to the chamber of sickness, or the 
bed of death, and there you shall see faith tri- 



GOD OUR STRENGTH. 



287 



umphant, even in weakness, and most powerful 
of all, in the last solemn hour. You may find 
there, a fellow-creature emaciated, feeble and 
helpless. The rose of health has faded from the 
cheek, and the fires of the eye are dim. The 
cold sweat of death is upon his marble brow, and 
the monster is near. By his side stands the 
devoted being-, whose fortunes have been linked 
with his, and who has stood by him, in all his 
sorrows and joys. And children too, are there to 
see a father die, and to receive his last blessing. 
And there they stand, their grief pressing heav- 
ily, and their very souls streaming from their 
eyes ; their hearts well-nigh breaking, with 
anguish. But he, the dying man ; the lean and 
wasted skeleton of a human body, weak as an 
infant, and almost gone; he alone is calm, and his 
peaceful spirit serene as the summer's sky. No 
cloud of darkness is there ; no contending emotions 
swell that heart, nor cares distress, nor sorrows 
disturb. God is the rock upon which he immov- 
ably stands. God is his strength in this hour of 
weakness. God is the buckler with which he 
does battle with death ; and God, the Almighty 



288 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



is the tower to which he flees, and in which, he 
fears not the arrows of the pale monarch of the 
tomb. And his feeble voice is heard, in tones of 
unearthly triumph, saying, " Weep not for me. I 
go to the bosom of my father and your father, of 
my God and your God. Already the heavens 
are opening, and its scenes of glory dawning 
upon my eyes, and I go in peace to the land of 
the blessed above." The last struggle comes, 
and with a song of victory upon his expiring 
lips, he closes his eyes in death. 

And then there is mourning, for the strongest 
ties of affection are rudely snapped asunder, and 
hearts must needs bleed, and tears must fall. 
'T is nature's holy tribute to the memory of de- 
parted joys. But there is comfort even there, for 
faith lingers, with all its bright and cheering 
visions. The widow's eye is fixed on heaven, 
and there remains to her God, who has prom- 
ised to be the widow's God, and the father of the 
fatherless. And the orphan too, looks upward, 
and though he weeps, that an earthly father has 
gone, yet does he rejoice in the blessed assurance, 
that there is in heaven, a father who never dies. 



GOD OUR STRENGTH. 



2S9 



There the mourners trust, they shall meet the 
departed, when the conflicts of earth are over, and 
part no more forever. And the heavens grow 
bright, and the grave itself, becomes green and 
beautiful, in the light of a faith so much Divine. 

Now, I appeal to the believer, and I ask him to 
see here, an evidence of the inestimable value of 
a firm reliance upon God ; and I appeal to the 
infidel, and say to him, "Here are not the theo- 
ries but the facts," on which I am willing to rest 
the proof, that God is the strength of man, and 
the rock upon which he can stand securely, even 
amid the heaving billows of affliction, and the 
ruins and desolations of death itself. I tell him, 
the sun of every day shines upon the reality, of 
what I have feebly attempted to describe. It 
shines on it too, not in far distant lands, but in 
the abodes of your friends and neighbors. The 
destroyer is abroad — -the mourners go about 
these streets ; and this day, and all around you, 
there are those, who realize in the depths of their 
souls, the sustaining and comforting power of the 
religion of Christ, in the hour of sorrow. It is 
now, in the chamber of sickness, giving to the 
25 



290 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

faint and dying the only cordial that remains. It 
lingers to-day, in the house of mourning and 
death, pouring its heavenly consolations into the 
hearts of the afflicted; speaking to the lone 
widow, that her tears may be dry, and to the or- 
phan, that his feeble moan may be hushed ; — to 
the sick, that they may flee to its strong tower 
for strength ; and to the aged and infirm, that 
they may be buoyant with hope. Call it, if you 
must, a dream, a fiction, or what you please ; but 
if there is mercy in you, spare to the dying man 
the cup, which he presses so eagerly to his 
parched and fevered lips. 'T is the last, that he 
may drink on earth, and the sweetest, by far, that 
ever came from the hand of his God. Spare to 
the aged, the staff upon which he leans so fondly, 
to support his feeble steps. And for God's sake, 
hinder not the lone widow, that she may not go 
to her God. Her idol is shattered, and earth 
itself has ceased to dazzle her eyes, or captivate 
her heart. O ! let her go to the rock of her 
strength, the strong tower of her hope. You see 
the facts, and you know the results. What sub- 



GOD OUR STRENGTH. 



291 



stitute can you offer, for the strength and hope 
thus imparted to the afflicted and sorrowful ? 

Do you propose a cold and cheerless system, 
which robs the present of a God, and the future 
of all hope but the grave ? Alas ! it were a poor 
exchange, that could confer no greater boon than 
this ! Or, will you offer a system which makes 
God a being, whom men dare not trust, and can 
not love ; and which fills the future world with 
horrors and woes in comparison with which, all 
the sufferings of earth, are but a drop in the buck- 
et, or as dust in the balance ? Must we shut our 
eyes against the light of heaven, and all its joys, 
and gaze upon a vast world of torment, unuttera- 
ble by mortal tongue, and durable as eternity ? 
And shall we then, find God to be our rock and 
our strength ? I pray you what good can we 
thus obtain ? Will it afford a surer refuge from 
the storm of affliction, when it comes ? Will it 
wipe away the tears from the eyes of the afflicted 
and sorrowful ? Will it pluck one thorn from the 
pillow of death, or breathe one item of peace, or 
comfort, to those who mourn ? You know the 



292 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



answer, truth must give to these questions ; and 
I pray you act accordingly. 

If the views I have taken of the subject are 
correct, you will see how important, yea, how 
unspeakably important are the ministries of a 
truly Christian faith, in this world ; and how 
necessary it is, to human hopes and human hap- 
piness, that it should be cherished, and perpetu- 
ated, as the only medium, through which, man 
can find and realize the benefits of the great 
truth, that God is his refuge, his strength, and 
salvation, in whom he may trust. Without it, 
God appears as an austere and hard Master, or 
as an inveterate and most implacable enemy, 
from whom the world has little to hope, and much 
to fear. Without it, the earth is a land of en- 
emies — a great battle-field, in which, we must 
make our way through hosts of foes, depending 
upon the unaided strength of an arm of flesh 
alone. But with it, God becomes the rock of our 
strength, the refuge from every storm, the retreat 
of the unfortunate, the rest of the worn and the 
weary, the hope of the dying and the resurrection 
of the dead. Let us then, my brethren, hold fast 



GOD OUR STRENGTH. 293 

the priceless treasures, of faith and hope, that we 
may realize, in our own hearts, how blessed are 
they, whose God is the Lord, and who have made 
him their trust. Then may we be able under- 
standingly, and from the heart, with the prophet 
of old, to say, " Although the fig-tree should not 
blossom, and there should be no fruit in the vines, 
the labor of the olive should fail, and the fields 
should yield no meat, the flocks should be cut off 
from the fold, and there should be no herd in the 
stall, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the 
God of my salvation." So let us live, and when 
the final summons comes, to call us from the 
cares and the conflicts of earth, we will go in 
peace, and without a sorrow or a tear, to the 
sanctuary above. 

25* 



SERMON XVI. 

"THE SAVIOUR'S VICTORY." 

For he must reign until he hath pat all enemies under bis feet: 
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 1 Cor. 15 : 25, 26. 

The world has been? from the beginning, a 
great battle-field, where man has fought for do- 
minion over his fellow-man, or toiled and strug- 
gled for the mastery of the evils, with which he 
is surrounded. In this warfare, of six thousand 
years, there have been many instances of a good 
degree of success. Kings have extended their 
dominion, far and wide, and have ruled long, and 
swayed the sceptre over large portions of the 
earth. The throne of the Ca~sars was consid- 
ered stable and enduring ; and Alexander is 
usually said to have conquered the world. Great 
battles have been fought, and wonderful victories 
have been achieved, in the fields of war. And 
in peace too, there have been victories over 
the obstacles, that impede the progress of our 
race, towards the development and perfection of 



"the saviour's victory." 295 

its being. Through physical and moral evils, 
neither few nor small, and in the midst of 
enemies within, and foes without, man has 
battled his way onward, and upward, from sav- 
agism to a state of enlightened civilization ; and 
with the aid of Divine truth, from ignorance, and 
gross idolatiy, to the knowledge and worship of 
the living and true God. And so, the history of 
the world abounds with the record of heroes and 
statesmen, of saints and martyrs, of kings and 
potentates, of victories in war, and victories in 
peace, and of conquests won by the sword, and 
by the power of truth and knowledge. 

But, the world, in all its history, presents no 
victory like that of the text, no dominion so wide 
or enduring, as that, which conquers all ene- 
mies, and triumphs over death itself. Such is 
the reign of the Saviour, and such the victory, 
which the text calls us to contemplate. Its asser- 
tion is, not merely, that he is laboring for the sub- 
jugation of his enemies, with a fair prospect of 
eminent success ; but, it is, with an emphasis, 
indicative of the utmost certainty, he must reign, 
until he hath put all enemies under his feet — a 



296 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



strong mode of expressing his perfect and com- 
plete triumph, and their entire subjection to him. 
It will be proper, in pursuing our subject, and 
contemplating this victory of Christ, to notice 
the enemies of the progress of his kingdom, which 
he must bring into subjection, or destroy, before 
that kingdom can universally prevail. 

I. Ignorance and superstition are formidable 
enemies of the kingdom of Christ. 

Many of the kingdoms, and institutions of the 
world, depend for their safety, upon the besotted 
ignorance of the people. Kingcraft and priest- 
craft may be forced upon an enlightened nation 
by a strong arm of brute force ; and they may be 
sustained by physical power, for a season. But 
they originate in the darkness of ignorance, and 
feel secure, only, when light and knowledge are 
kept from the masses. Were it not for the igno- 
rance of mankind, there is not on earth, this day, 
a throne, that could stand for a week, or a head, 
that could wear a crown, for a day. The Eus- 
sian Autocrat rules over vast multitudes of men, 
and a wide territory, and feels that his throne is 
more stable, than any other, on earth. But who 



"THE SA AMOUR'S VICTORY." 297 



does not know, that it is so, only because of the 
dense and dark ignorance of his subjects ? Who 
is not well aware, that were the light of knowl- 
edge to be let into the souls of his myriad serfs, 
the sceptre of power would fall from his hand, 
and his reign come to a speedy end ? If the 
world does not know this, surely the Czar knows 
it full well ; and hence, the perpetuation of this 
ignorance, as the safeguard of his throne. Look 
over all Europe, and behold how the thrones are 
trembling, and the crowned heads quaking with 
fear, and feeling, that it is an uncertain tenure by 
which their dominion is held. The reason is, a 
few straggling rays of light are gleaming in, upon 
the thick darkness, which has hitherto enveloped 
the minds of the people ; and they are beginning 
to understand a little of their dignity, their rights, 
their power, and their destiny. And all this 
heaving of the elements, this convulsion among 
the nations, this struggling for deliverance from 
the iron bands of oppression, is but the result of a 
little knowledge ; and proves, that the dominions 
of the earth, are, at this day, founded upon the 
ignorance of man. All of oppression and slavery 



298 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



are built upon this same foundation. Let the 
light of knowledge shine upon the human soul, 
and the oppressed will go free, and the man- 
acles of the slave everywhere, shall be broken. 
If the masses of Ireland are kept in ignorance, 
that they may be held in religious and political 
bondage — if the toiling millions of every part of 
Europe, are doomed to ignorance, for the same 
reason, and if knowledge is carefully kept from 
the slaves of our own country, it is because the 
rulers and oppressors know, that their dominion 
is founded upon the ignorance of their subjects, 
and that light and knowledge are the most dan- 
gerous enemies of their sway. 

It is not so with the kingdom of Christ. That 
nourishes best, where light is most abundant. It 
is not in ages of ignorance, nor among people 
whose minds are devoid of knowledge, that you 
are to look for the manifestations of a Saviour's 
reign. On the contrary, his religion flourishes 
best among the wisest and most enlightened of 
our race. Accordingly, its early advocates sought 
not to establish it, first, among the ignorant bar- 
barians, but went to Rome, and Greece, and 



"the saviour's victory." 299 



appealed in the Saviour's behalf to the learned 
Koman, and the wise and polished Greek. They 
understood full well, that Jesus sought no dark- 
ness, or ignorance, as the foundations of his 
reign ; but that, his was emphatically a kingdom 
of Divine light, which would flourish best, where 
there was most of knowledge. 

Consider the state of the world, as it was when 
Jesus came, and compare it with what it must be, 
when his reign is fully established, and you will 
see, at a glance, that ignorance and superstition 
are among the most formidable enemies of his 
kingdom. 

In the emphatic language of the prophet, it 
was truly said, " darkness covered the earth, 
and gross darkness the people." Constituted by 
nature, the child of devotion, and with a spirit 
yearning for communion with the skies, man 
stood upon the earth, in the midst of the monu- 
ments of eternal skill and wisdom, power and 
goodness ; — he surveyed the handiwork of the 
Most High, but he knew not its author. The vicis- 
situdes of the world, he could not control, and he 
saw in the raging storm, and sweeping tempests 



300 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



the manifestations of a power, stronger than the 
arm of mortals. He gazed upon the sun, the 
moon, and the stars, and all the splendid " bla- 
zonry of God " on high, and the question came, 
Whose works are these ? By whom, and for 
what, were they made ? But he could not an- 
swer. The wisdom of the world tasked her 
powers ; the groves of Baal, and the temples of 
idolatry were built ; and human ignorance in- 
vested the wood and the stone, with the powers 
of the Divinity. Moloch's destroying fires were 
kindled, and the gloomy valley of the son of 
Hinnom resounded with the cries of victims, 
led forth as sheep to the slaughter, and burned 
to appease the wrath, or secure the favor of an 
angry and cruel Divinity. India's awful Jugger- 
naut rode over the prostrate bodies of the Wor- 
shipper at his shrine ; and the light of the blessed 
sun was obscured, by dark clouds of incense, 
rolling from ten thousand altars, erected to gods, 
which were no Gods, and whose worship was 
founded upon ignorance, unrelieved by a ray of 
light, from the trmli Divine. 

But when the " world by wisdom knew not 



"THE SAVIOUR'S VICTORY." 301 

God," Christ came, " a light to them, that sat in 
darkness, and in the valley of the shadow of 
death" to guide their feet in the way of peace. 
To destroy this ignorance, the prolific mother 
of this "hellish brood" of superstition, Jesus 
came ; and to pour light upon the darkness 
of the human soul, and lead a wondering and 
grateful world, to the knowledge and worship of 
a God of grace and love, was an important object 
of his mission. 

But this is not all. Man was not only igno- 
rant of God, but also, of himself, his binding 
duty, and exalted destiny. He saw himself 
" fearfully and wonderfully made " indeed, but 
he knew not whence he came, or whither he was 
going. He knew, for himself, no higher origin, 
than a child of earth ; no purer duty, than the ser- 
vice of self, no higher destiny, than to live and 
die. He stood, with a soul thirsting for immor- 
tality, upon the verge of life, and asked, in vain, 
Where am I going ? He called upon the tombs, 
and they were silent as the end of all the living. 
All beyond, was veiled in thick darkness, that 
his vision could not penetrate ; and forth from 
26 



302 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



this darkness, came the legions of fear and de* 
spair, to afflict and torment, and cause him to "go 
mourning all his days." Elysian fields of sen- 
sual delight were, indeed, faintly descried, in the 
distance ; but, Tartarus with its fiends, and its 
scenes of more than mortal anguish, was a far 
more prominent object of contemplation; and 
fears were many, and hopes were faint, and few. 

It was the business of Jesus, to proclaim the 
truth, that man was from above ; that he was the 
child of God, allied to higher natures — that his 
duty is best performed, by loving his God, su- 
premely, and his neighbor as himself — that his 
destiny is high, and holy, even a life immortal, 
and an endless communion with all that is good 
and pure, where death cannot enter, and where 
tears never flow. Where these sacred truths are 
known and appreciated, felt and practised, there 
Jesus reigns ; and it is easy to see, that the igno- 
rance of which we have treated, is a formidable 
enemy of his reign, and that, its dark and gloomy 
clouds must be rolled away, ere his kingdom shall 
triumph. 

The text gives the assurance, that he shall sue- 



"the saviour's victory." 303 

ceed in this respect. His throne of light shall 
be established, and all darkness and ignorance 
shall be put under his feet. Eternal truth shall 
illumine the night of this world ; and the dawn of 
an immortal day shall shine upon the ages of 
eternity; and ^ there shall be no need of saying, 
every man to his neighbor, and every man to his 
brother, know the Lord ; for all shall know him, 
from the least to the greatest." 

" He must reign, until he hath put all enemies 
under his feet," and the history of the past is the 
proof, that, this work has been going on, and the 
pledge of future success. His kingdom ap- 
peared, at first, in poverty and weakness, and was 
opposed by the wealth, the influence, and the 
power of the world. For eighteen centuries, its 
course has been onward. It has been working its 
silent way through the mists of ignorance, the 
obstinate prejudices, and the inveterate hate of 
men ; and it is, to-day, the religion of the enlight- 
ened world. And now, as ever, it flourishes 
best, where there is most of true light and knowl- 
edge. At no period, in all its history, have its 



304 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



signs of promise been more cheering, or aus- 
picious, than at the present moment. 

The sleepless energies of the human mind, 
everywhere active, and aided by means and 
agencies of improvement, such as no former age 
has seen — the rapid changes of thought, and 
faith, that are constantly at work — the mighty 
power with which man smites upon the old found- 
ations of the past — the fact, that the cherished 
opinions of yesterday, are repudiated to-day, and 
the heresy of to-day, promises to be the orthodoxy 
of to-morrow; — all these things show, that the 
days of human ignorance are numbered; and 
that, the march of the Saviour's kingdom of light 
and truth is onward, and upward, towards that 
universal reign, to which the text points the eye 
of faith and hope. 

II. I note sin, as one enemy to the kingdom of 
Christ, which must be overcome. 

He came to "put away sin by the sacrifice of 
himself;" and " his name was called Jesus be- 
cause he should save his people from their sins." 
It is by him, that God will " finish sin, make 
an end of transgression, and bring in everlasting 



"THE SAVIOUR'S VICTORY." 305 

righteousness." Sin is the great adversary of 
the Saviour. It scatters blight and mildew, over 
the fairest fields of his rightful dominion, and 
changes this beautiful world into a Pandemonium 
of misery. It blasts and - withers the fairest 
flowers, that bloom in the garden of life, and 
poisons the deepest and purest fountains of 
human enjoyment. Look where you please, 
and sin is there, doing its work of death, and lift- 
ing an impious hand, high in rebellion against 
the authority, the doctrines, the precepts, and the 
examples of the Saviour. But, this brazen- 
crested monster must die. The Gospel proposes 
to conquer this enemy of all felicity. It seeks to 
purify the heart from evil, and sanctify the affec- 
tions wholly unto God, so that a willing service 
shall be rendered unto him. For this purpose, it 
enlightens the understanding with the knowledge 
of God and his government, and all truth and 
duty. It lays down its sacred precepts ; breathes 
its blessed hopes upon the soul ; points to the 
example of the Saviour, as a guide, in the way 
of life ; and brings all the glories of the Divine 
character, and all the power of faith and love, to 
26* 



306 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



bear upon the heart, to mould it into the image 
of the Divine Master. It is a work, which begins 
on earth, and must be consummated in a better 
world. Is it doubted, that the Gospel will ever 
accomplish this great end ? Behold its power, as 
manifested, in its early history ! See how it laid 
hold upon the hard heart of persecuting Saul of 
Tarsus, and brought him, mild as a lamb, to the 
foot of the cross ! Behold its power, on the day 
of Pentecost, when three thousand Were smitten 
at its word, and brought into subjection to the 
Lord ; and they too, of those who had been 
guilty of his death ! Trace its history from 
that day to this, and see how it has softened the 
hard heart, and meliorated the asperities of the 
men of every nation, to whom it has been 
preached. It has tamed the untutored savage 
and barbarian, and brought them to the embrace 
of civilization, and the cultivation of the useful 
arts and sciences. It has spoken to the ferocious 
hordes, who knew no law, but the law of might, 
and whose only appeal was to the sword. It has 
thrown a sacredness over human life, erected its 
tribunals of justice among them, and brought 



"THE SAVIOUR'S VICTORY." 307 

them to the obedience of law and order. And 
though it has not entirely eradicated the spirit of 
war, yet, it has visited the tented field with 
gleanings of mercy, and restrained the war-god 
from his most atrocious cruelties ; so that, the 
rights of the defenceless are, in some measure 
respected, and war is no longer a scene of indis- 
criminate slaughter, rapine and plunder. All this 
has been accomplished, and though the work is 
not yet complete, nevertheless, in what has been 
done, the Gospel has been tested, and proved to be 
the " power of God unto salvation ;" and thus is 
made manifest the fact, that it is adequate to the 
performance of all that it promises. Christ must 
reign until all enemies are put under his feet, and 
all sin is destroyed. 

III. I notice death, as an enemy that Jesus is 
to destroy. 

In the common version of the Scriptures, our 
text reads as I have quoted it. " The last enemy, 
that shall be destroyed is death." Leaving out 
the supplied words, usually printed in italics, and 
rendering it with a more strict fidelity to the orig- 
inal, it will read thus : " The last enemy shall be 



308 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



destroyed — death." Or in accordance with the 
usual English order of the sentence — " Death, 
the last enemy shall be destroyed." The differ- 
ence between these renderings is obvious. In 
the common version, death is made to be the last 
enemy, that shall be destroyed ; thus leaving 
room for the conclusion, that there may be other, 
and later enemies, that shall not be destroyed. 
But as it came from the pen of the Apostle, the 
assertion is, that death is the last enemy, and he 
shall be destroyed. 

Death is a familiar subject, and its import is 
not less mysterious than solemn and momentous. 
The experience of all ages, from the creation of 
the world, has proved, that, all that is bora on 
earth must die. We do indeed put far away the 
evil day ; yet, there are seasons of solemn thought, 
which come upon the most giddy worldling, and 
cause him to feel, that, however distant the time, 
the day will surely come, when, he must meet 
the "pale monarch of the tomb," and be num- 
bered with the dead. But the certainty of death, 
and the fact, that the generations which have 
gone before us, have died ; and that our fellows 



"the saviour's victory." 309 



are, even now, dying- around us, lifts no cloud 
from the valley of shadows, nor removes aught 
of the darkness, that broods over the mystery of 
the grave. To die, what is it ? What is the 
essence of the thing, we call death ? Is it the 
destruction of all that belongs to our being, and 
the end of our existence ? Is it a fixed and per- 
manent thing, having an existence which never 
ends ? Or, is it, but one of those necessary 
changes, which the Creator has ordained, for us 
to pass in our upward course of approximation 
to himself ? These are questions of vast import- 
ance, and we may safely say, that, without the 
Gospel of Christ, they are veiled in impenetrable 
darkness and mystery. 

But in Christ the mystery is revealed. Death 
is but the negative of life — an evanescent phase 
in the government of God, and as sure to be 
swallowed up in the life immortal, as the dark- 
ness of night, to flee before the light of the 
morning sun. And although, to our view, there 
is a perpetual struggle between life and death, 
and thus far, the latter seems victorious ; yet, we 
see only the setting sun, and the darkness comes 



310 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



on, not from its .own power, but because, the 
light is, for a season, withdrawn : we have 
but to wait in hope, and ere long the sun will 
come again, and all darkness shall be destroyed. 
Thus, the glorious sun of righteousness, shall 
arise upon the night of the tomb ; life immortal 
and unfading shall break forth as the brightness 
of the morning, and death shall be no more. 
Hence the Scripture saith, " There shall be no 
more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither 
shall there be any more pain, for the former 
things are passed away." This is the last 
enemy, and he being destroyed, there shall 
remain none to disturb that calm and eternal 
peace, which shall remain through all the domin- 
ions of our God and his Christ. Upon the risen 
and exalted head of the Saviour, shall be that 
crown of life, which is the emblem of the victory 
he has achieved, and man shall live, and die no 
more. For this reason, he said, of those who 
should be raised from the dead, "They are equal 
unto the angels, neither shall they die any more ; 
but are children of God, being children of the 
resurrection.'' 



"THE SAVIOUR'S VICTORY." 311 



Let the toil-worn and death-smitten children 
of humanity, look hither, and rejoice in the 
patience of hope ; and let them " wrap the draper}' 
of their couch around them," and lay them down 
and die in peace, knowing, that their deliverance 
will come. 

And ye, who stand by the bed-side of dying- 
friends, and kindred, and w r hose tears fall so fast 
and freely, as ye see the night settling fast and 
dark, around them; look upward to him, "who 
was dead and is alive again," and hope joyfully 
for that morning, which shall dispel the shadows 
of death, and herald an endless day. Take, ye, 
the loved, and the lost, and lay them hopefully in 
the grave. Their last conflict is over. Their 
last enemy has done his work ; and he shall be 
destroyed. Let the green grass grow, and the 
flowers bloom above them ; their life is in God, 
and he will redeem them from death, and ransom 
them from the grave. Fear not, neither " mourn 
as those that have no hope," for thy Saviour is 
the Lord ; and his arm shall deliver. Let this 
truth be with you, and it shall arm you with for- 
titude and resignation, under the pressure of the 



312 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



ills of life, and make you joyous in hope, even in 
the last conflict with the king of terrors. And 
when the earth grows dark, and fades upon the 
sight, and you feel, that death is nigh, then 
remember, and rejoice in the truth, that, " He 
must reign, until he hath put all enemies under 
his feet, and death, the last enemy, shall be 
destroyed." Amen, and let all the people say, 
Amen 



SERMON XVII. 

THE TRIUMPH OF JOY. 

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 

Psalm 30 : 5. 

The immense preponderance of good over evil, 
of happiness over misery, is a sentiment emphat- 
ically expressed, and often repeated in the sacred 
Scriptures. Such are the arrangements of the 
Divine Providence, and such the will and pur- 
poses of God, that perpetual good is the rule ; 
while evil is the exception. The text is one 
among a multitude of forms, in which, this sen- 
timent is inculcated. There are, doubtless, many 
causes of suffering, and it is unavoidable, that 
tears should often flow. But, this is by no 
means, the permanent and uniform condition of 
our race. On the contrary, these seasons • of 
-weeping and sorrow are comparatively short. 
They " endure for a night, but joy cometh in the 
morning ;" and there are a thousand smiles for 
every tear. How frequently and emphatically do 
27 



314 



THE CROTVX 



OF LIFE. 



the inspired writers bear their testimony to the 
truth of the principle here indicated ! " Sing 
unto the Lord, 0, ye saints ; and give thanks at 
the remembrance of his holiness ; for his anger 
endureth but a moment." " The Lord is merci- 
ful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in 
mercy. He will not always chide, neither will 
he keep his anger forever." "Go, and proclaim 
these words towards the north, and say, Return 
thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I 
will not cause mine anger to fall upon you, for I 
am merciful saith the Lord, and I will not keep 
mine anger forever." 

These are the Teachings of God's word, in rela- 
tion to the anger of the Lord. But when his 
mercy is tie theme, how different the language ! 
" The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to 
everlasting upon them that fear him, and his 
righteousness unto children's children." " Thy 
mercy, 0, Lord ; endureth forever." Let the 
redeemed of the Lord say so, for his mercy 
endureth forever." From these quotations it 
appears most evident, that, whatever may be 
meant by the anger of the Lord, it is but a mo- 



THE TRIUMPH OF JOY. 



315 



mentary phase, in which his character is pre- 
sented to human vision. But, his mercy is 
enduring as himself. It is an eternal attribute 
of his nature ; belonging to his Divinity, and des- 
tined to remain the same, while he lives. On 
the other hand, his anger, instead of being of a 
substance with himself, is but an evanescent 
cloud, that passes between man's vision and 
"the face of the excellent glory; 1 ' and that cloud, 
however dark, and ill boding it may appear, is 
sure, soon to be dispersed by the sun of his love. 

Precisely in accordance with these views of 
God, as considered in and of himself, are all the 
arrangements of nature rind providence. All the 
manifestations of the Divine wrath, are graduated 
by the scale of man's works, and measured, in 
amount and duration, by this rule, and soon pass 
away ; while the evidences of his love and good- 
ness, extend to heights and depths, that cannot 
be measured, and are graduated by that eternal 
fulness, which rises higher, and sinks deeper, 
than all human guilt and misery; and which is 
exhaustless as the light of the sun in the firma- 
ment, and durable as eternity. If, in all nature 



316 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



there is one thing calculated to hurt or destroy, it 
is the exception, rather than the rule; and is pass- 
ing away, rather than permanent and enduring. 
Back of it, deeper down, towards the unfailing 
reality of things, there is an everlasting stream 
of good, which flows perpetually, and soon over- 
powers, and obliterates the evils, we so much 
deplore. 

Behold this great truth manifested everywhere, 
upon the face of the Creator's works ! Since the 
world began, " seed-time and harvest, summer 
and winter," have succeeded each other, in regu- 
lar succession. The small herb, the tender blade, 
and the full ear of corn for the harvest, have 
been produced in their season ; and the ex- 
hausted garners have been filled with food for 
man and beast. The winter winds, and the 
hoary frosts have visited, and bound the earth in 
fetters of ice, and scattered the leaves from the 
trees ; causing all nature to put on the appearance 
of decay and death. But, the recuperative energies 
of nature have not departed. Winter reigns but 
for a season, and the joyous spring soon appears, 
and the time of the singing of birds is at hand 



THE TRIUMPH OF JOY. 



317 



Vegetation starts again to life, and the earth is 
green and beautiful. The grass grows ; the seed 
yields its fruit, and the store-house is filled. 

Occasionally, a famine may occur, in some 
portion of the world. But, as a general rule, its 
extent is small, and its duration short. Such a 
thing as an universal dearth ; an entire failure of 
the laws of nature, to produce all necessary com- 
forts for man, has never been known. There 
may, also, be slight interruptions of the wcnted 
course of the seasons. Winter may linger in the 
lap of spring, or, a premature frost may nip the 
fruit, ere it is fully ripened. Bat it is only in 
some small province ; and the duration of these 
apparent irregularities is short. They may " en- 
dure for a night," but they vanish before the light 
of the morning sun. Soon, very soon, nature re- 
sumes her wonted course, and the good triumphs 
over evil. The preponderance of that good, is 
manifested from the fact, that, these apparent 
exceptions to the common rule, are noted, and 
treasured up, as extraordinary events. It some- 
times happens, that a tempest, or a tornado 
sweeps over the land, and produces loss of prop- 
27* 



318 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



erty, or life. But its extent is small. The vio- 
lent tornado rarely exceeds a few rods in width, 
or endures more than a few brief moments ; and 
such a thing as an universal tempest, was never 
known, on earth. However violent the storm, or 
furious the wind, the laws of harmony and order 
are at work, and soon, there comes a repose upon 
the elements — the winds are still — hushed and 
silent is the voice of the thunder ; the sun shines 
bright, or the stars look serenely down upon a 
sleeping world; and a blessed calm comes, even 
as joy succeeds the night of our weeping. 

So also, of the life and health of man. It 
sometimes occurs, that a pestilence prevails. The 
plague smites a city, and the strong men fall, as 
grass before the scythe of the mower. But 
science finds the cause, not in the defective 
arrangement of God's laws, but in man's ignor- 
ance, or disobedience to those laws. And this 
prevalence of dire disease, is not the permanent 
state of things. Its fury is soon spent. The 
blood returns to its wonted channels, and health 
again visits the habitations of men. And for 
long years, that period of disease, instead of being 



THE TRIUMPH OF JOY. 



319 



regarded as the fixed and regular order of God's 
providence, will be remembered, and indicated as 
one of the remarkable and extraordinary events 
of time. In the midst of the desolations of the 
pestilence, we may ever have this blessed hope 
and comfort ; that the overflowing fountain of 
goodness and mercy, in heaven, is yet full, and 
unexhausted ; and though 44 weeping may en- 
dure, for a night, joy cometh in the morning." 

If, from these general views, we come to our 
own individual experience, we shall find the 
same principle to be equally true, in its applica- 
tion to the history of our lives. The periods of 
our sorrow and tears, have been few and far be- 
tween, as compared with our seasons of smiles 
and joys. We remember our times of weeping, 
for the same reason, that we remember a burning 
fever ; because they are uncommon. They are 
all treasured up, and kept fresh in mind, because 
they are few ; but who can number the days in 
which he has been blessed and happy? Suppose 
we were to sit down and reckon up the account, 
for the past year. How think you it would 
stand ? We could, any of us. no doubt, " a tale 



320 



THE CROWN OF LIf E. 



unfold," of evils which we have suffered; all duly 
entered upon the book of remembrance, noted and 
" conned by heart." It would be a tale of mis- 
fortune in business, of losses and disappointment, 
in the affairs of the world — of sufferings by fire 
or flood — of false and treacherous friends — of 
hard struggles and buffetings — of sickness in 
person or family, and of " all the ills that flesh is 
heir to." A sad story no doubt. But have we 
as carefully entered and registered, ail that legiti- 
mately belongs to the other side of the account ? 
There was a fire at night, and you suffered loss ! 
But how many nights have you laid down under 
the pavilion of the Almighty, and slept in safety, 
while the elements were restrained ? You was 
sick, for a day, or a week. But, how many days 
and weeks, were you kept in health, and saved 
from the power of disease ? And during that 
year, as it passed, upon whose bounty did you 
feed every day ? Whence came the glorious 
sunlight, that dawned upon your waking eyes, in 
the morning; and those breezes, that fanned your 
brow, in the evening ? Whose air was that, 
which you breathed, every moment? Whose 



THE TRIUMPH OF JOY. 321 

earth was that, upon which you trod from day to 
day ? And whose waters were they, that gushed 
from a thousand springs to quench your thirst, 
when faint with the heat, and warm with the 
labor of the day ? These are the common and 
abundant blessings of God, and they pass un- 
heeded, and are forgotten, from the very fact of 
their fulness and constancy. Let one of them be 
withdrawn, and all that live would die. And 
yet, so full, and so free, is the supply, that small 
indeed is the number of those, whose every 
returning want is not supplied ; and short are 
the periods, that any are left to suffer. The 
great mass, the vast multitudes are at every, and 
any possible moment, filled with all necessary 
good. 

In view of the subject, as thus presented, we 
may see, that there is abundant reason for hope- 
fulness, and reconciliation under the few brief 
ills, that come upon us. Dark clouds may some- 
times gather, and the skies may be overcast, for 
a season. The winds may blow, and the rain, 
or the threatening hail may descend. But high 
above that storm, there reigns eternal sunshine 



322 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



and all is bright and serene, as though no cloud 
obscured the skies of earth. That fearful storm, 
dark and terrible as it may appear, to our limited 
vision, is confined to a little spot, on this " dim 
orb." It is but a ripple, upon the placid waters 
of a vast and boundless ocean. It has not so 
much as jostled the wheels of nature, or in the 
least disturbed the harmony of the great system. 
The sun shines on, and the moon keeps her sta- 
tion in the skies ; and the blessed stars sparkle, 
as ever, in the heavens; nor know they aught of 
that tempest. Nor are the dwellers upon the 
other side of the earth, aware of its existence. 
Furious as it may appear, it can shake no pillar 
of the universe; nor can it endure, but for a mo- 
ment. Soon, the elements will seek their accus- 
tomed repose ; and though the night may weep, 
the morning will smile, and the green earth will 
teem again with the tokens of the Divine benig- 
nity. And so, of other things of this sort. Back 
of them all, there is a great conservative law, 
which comes in to save ; and ultimately, the good 
preponderates over all the evils, we see in the 
universe around us. Amid them all, there is 



THE TRIUMPH OF JOY. 



323 



good reason for a calm and trustful hope, that, 
God will bring order out of apparent confusion ; 
and move on his own undisturbed affairs, towards 
the great and benevolent end, for which all 
things were made, and to which, they are all 
tending. 

I would not be dogmatical, upon a subject of 
this sort ; but I must think, the same principles 
may, with the utmost propriety, be carried over 
to the moral world, and that, they lose none of 
their force by such an application. 

Nature, though not the most full, and definite, 
is nevertheless, a true interpreter of God ; be- 
cause his works are but an expression of himself. 
The great worlds, are but the thoughts of God, 
made tangible to human souls ; and I hold, that, 
the principles there unfolded, are indeed princi- 
ples of his government, true now and ever, and 
in all departments of his dominion. If, as we 
have attempted to show, the good preponderates 
over the evil, in the material universe, the pre- 
sumption is fair, that it is so, in the moral and 
the spiritual. And if so, then everywhere, it 
is true, that, though " weeping may endure for 



324 



THE GROWN OF LIFE. 



a night, joy cometh in the morning." We may 
thus survey the whole vast domain of God, and 
say, of all the evil, that meets our view; it is but 
an evanescent phase in the movement of the stu- 
pendous creations of God, designed to endure 
only for a season ; and at last, to be overshadowed 
and lost, in that overflowing fulness of Divine 
goodness, which constitutes the essence of the 
Divinity himself. 

Surely, a view so hopeful and cheerful, so hon- 
orable to God, and consolatory to man, ought to 
be cherished among the dearest treasures of the 
human soul ; for, it alone, can comfort us • in 
affliction, and enable us to run with patience, the 
race set before us. To the faint and the sick, 
the worn and the weary of earth, there is comfort 
in the thought, that these afflictions endure but a 
moment ; and though the night of their sorrows 
may be dark and drear}', and their pillows must 
be wet with many tears, yet the morning cometh ; 
and then, shall the light of a pure and blessed 
joy chase all gloom and darkness away. Tc 
each individual soul, God has allotted his portion 
of weeping and woe not as an end, but as a 



THE TRIUMPH OF JOY. 325 

means of promoting a higher and holier end. 
And his wisdom has ordained, that this period 
of suffering shall terminate. " Joy cometh in the 
morning." 

We may appty the principle, in hand, in its 
widest possible extent, and yet, hope for its per- 
fect truth. God acts not by partial, but by gen- 
eral laws. No individual, or set of individuals, 
has a right to claim a monopoly of the blessings 
of this sacred truth ; nor has any man a shadow 
of justification for hoping, that, in his case, tears 
shall be wiped away, and his sorrows be suc- 
ceeded by a cloudless morning of joy ; while he 
denies, that the blessings of this principle, will 
extend to his weeping brethren. The same rea- 
son, any individual has for trusting, that his 
sorrows will soon end, must apply to his fellow- 
men, and the principle is no more true in one 
case than another. 

"We may then, for a moment contemplate the 
subject in its broadest aspect, for the whole race 
is interested ; and it may be applied to the great 
body of humanity, as truthfully, as to any indi* 
vidual, belonging to that body. This world is 
28 



326 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



often called " a vale of tears," and though I am 
not prepared to admit the propriety of such an 
appellation, in its strictest sense ; yet, it must be 
confessed, that, there are many sorrows and tears 
on earth. Uninterrupted sunshine we may not 
hope to enjoy. Afflictions will come, and sor- 
rows will assail us. Here, the heart must bleed, 
and our experience must be often in weeping and 
tears. This we know full well ; and we may 
also know, that, none are exempt from these 
evils. The question of their duration, is one of 
deep and absorbing interest. Is this the fixed 
and permanent state of man ? Must his lot be 
ever one of sorrow, and will his tears never cease 
to flow ? This world is not our home, for here 
we have no continually abiding city. It is, as it 
were, but the night of cur existence ; when we 
see through a glass darkly, and are surrounded 
with shadows, dark and dreary. Stars of hope 
there are, indeed, which shine upon this dark- 
ness, and cheer the lonely hours, with rays from 
the eternal source of day. But still, we travail 
in pain, and frequently weep, in the bitterness of 
our spirits. Is there no morning to rise, and chase 



THE TRIUMPH OF JOY. 



327 



this darkness away ? Must we ever dwell in 
this land of tears, and our eyes always be wet 
with weeping? Nay, thanks be to God! "Weep- 
ing may endure for a night, but joy cometh in 
the morning." 

These transient scenes of sorrow are passing 
away. The creation, which now groaneth in 
pain shall be delivered from this bondage, and 
translated into the glorious liberty of the children 
of God ; "And there shall be no more sorrow nor 
crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for 
the former things shall have passed away." 

True, to human vision there is a deeper, and a 
darker night approaching. It is the night of the 
grave. Death is abroad, and he cuts down all 
that live, and consigns them to the silent tomb ; 
and thither have gone the generations which 
have preceded us, on this fleeting, shifting stage. 
Yet, even death is not a fixed and permanent 
reality in this universe. It is but the negation 
of life; not even an entity; but a deprivation; 
and it is, in the end, to be swallowed up of life. 
Nowhere in the universe, does death perpetually 
reign, as a fixed, permanent and immutable fact ; 



328 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

but everywhere, life rises from its ruins. The 
night fades before the morning light ; the death 
of the seed is followed by a new creation, and the 
decay of the old, ministers to the life of the new. 
The winter kills, but the spring makes alive, and 
countless forms of life rise up from the ashes of 
the dead, in every revolving year. Dark may 
that night seem, which comes upon man, when 
he is called to die. Gloomy, indeed, may the 
vault of the grave appear ; but its dominion is 
short. There is a blessed time coming, when the 
dead shall live. All bright and glorious is that 
era, to which the faith of the Gospel looks, as a 
morning of joy, when the tears of humanity shall 
have ceased to flow; and the permanent and eter- 
nal life of the soul shall be revealed in full per- 
fection and beauty. "And there shall be no 
night there ;" for God, himself, shall be the light 
and the glory of that better land. So, when 
earth sorrows shall be ended, and the light of an 
eternal day shall have dawned upon the night of 
death, " then shall come the time of the Resti- 
tution of all things spoken by the mouth of all 
God's holy prophets since the world began," 



THE TRIUMPH OF JOY. 



329 



when tears shall he wiped from all faces, and 
God shall be all in all. 

Let the mourners be comforted. The loved 
one has departed. Low, lies his head in the 
grave ; and dark is the curtain, that hides him 
from your sight. For him, however, there is life 
in God; and that life shall be revealed. Death 
cannot always bind him ; for there is one stronger 
than the strong man armed, and he shall deliver. 
And for you, who mourn and weep for the dead, 
there is comfort provided. To-day, the tears 
may fall fast and freely, from your eyes, and 
your hearts may be heavy ladened with sorrow. 
But it shall not be so always. To you, and to 
the world, the word has gone forth, " Weeping 
may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the 
morning." Hear it, ye tossed, and ye tempted ; 
ye weeping and sorrowful sons of humanity ; hear 
it, and rejoice, for the day of your redemption 
draweth nigh. 

28* 



SERMON XVIII. 

THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know and Paul 1 
know, but who are ye ? Acts 19: 15. 

The historical circumstances connected with 
this passage are, briefly as follows. Paul was 
residing at Ephesus, preaching the Gospel, and 
disputing daily, in the school of one Tyrannus. 
It pleased God to confirm his teachings by certain 
miracles, so that from his body were brought unto 
the sick, handkerchiefs and aprons, and the dis- 
eases left them, and the evil spirits went out of 
them. Then certain vagabond Jews, exorcists, 
seeing the success of the Apostle, and thinking, 
perhaps, there was some magic charm in the 
name of Jesus, took it upon themselves to attempt 
similar works. They called, therefore, over those 
that had evil spirits, saying, " We adjure thee, by 
Jesus, whom Paul preacheth ; and there were 
6even sons of one Sceva, a Jew, that did so." 
" But the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I 



THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 331 

know and Paul I know, but who are ye ? And 
the man in whom the evil spirit was, leaped on 
them and overcame them, and prevailed against 
them, so that, they fled out of the house, naked 
and wounded." 

A few words of explanation, are necessary to 
a clear understanding of this portion of the sa- 
cred history. There were, in that day, some 
peculiar notions of spirits, both good and bad. It 
was believed, that the souls of men survived the 
body, and at death, went into the world of spirits ; 
the good to Paradise ; and the bad to " hades;" and 
that, they were sometimes permitted to return to 
the earth, for various purposes : among others, to 
afflict with diseases. These were called demons, 
and most persons, afflicted with malignant dis- 
eases, were supposed to possess a demon. To 
this cause the various kinds of insanity, and 
madness, were referred, in an especial manner ; 
and the insane were called demoniacs, because, 
they were supposed to be possessed of a demon, 
or evil spirit. In such cases, whatever the 
patient said, was attributed to the evil spirit, 
which was thought to possess, and control his 



332 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



body. The historian has here employed the 
mode of expression usual, in his day ; and 
recorded the facts, in the case, in the light in 
which they were looked upon, by common con- 
sent; deeming, no doubt, the facts themselves, 
far more important than any explanation that 
might be given. 

Relative to the persons, who made the attempt 
to heal the insane by the name of Jesus, a few 
particulars may be noted. They are called " vag- 
abonds," that is, wanderers ; men who had no fixed 
or permanent dwelling-place. They were " exor- 
cists ;" that is, persons who pretended to heal the 
sick, by casting out the evil spirits which caused 
the disease. Moreover, the opinion of the age 
was, that there were certain names, of which 
demons had great dread : and that, when these 
names were pronounced in the hearing of persons, 
who were possessed of demons, the evil spirits 
would come out of them, and they would recover. 
Hence, we find the inquiry often made, of those 
who wrought miracles : by what name they per- 
formed these wonderful works ? 

In regard to these exorcists, history informs us, 



THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 333 



that they had a certain mystical pronunciation 
of the name Jehovah ; a name that no Jew would 
pronounce. With this, they wandered from 
place to place, pretending to cast out evil spirits, 
and thus, to heal the sick. When they saw the 
miracles wrought by Paul, they probably thought 
him a more successful practitioner of the same 
art as themselves ; and hearing him use the name 
of Jesus, supposed they had discovered the secret 
of his success ; and without the magnanimity of 
Simon Magus, who offered money for this gift, 
they went immediately to work on their own 
account. They called over the demoniac saying, 
" We adjure thee by Jesus whom Paul preach- 
eth."' But he had heard of Jesus, and of Paul, 
and answered in the language of our text," Jesus 
I know and Paul I know, but who are ye ? And 
he leaped upon them and drove them out of the 
house." Thus ended this attempt to inspire 
human folly with a Divine power, by baptizing it 
in the name of Christ. 

The use I propose to make of the text, is sim- 
ple, and easy to be understood. The spirit of evil 
is abroad in the world. In all painted masks 



334 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



and various robes, it lurks, sly as the serpent in 
Eden, in the world, and afflicts the human soul 
with the loathsome leprosy of sin. To check the 
manifestations of this spirit — to overcome it, 
and cast it out of the children of men, has ever 
been the object of the wise and the good ; and it 
cannot be denied, that there have been many, in 
every age, who have made gain; with pretensions 
of ability to heal the moral and spiritual mala- 
dies of the world. And now, the great truth I 
would wish to illustrate is simply this. The 
name of Jesus is alone powerful to perform this 
work. I use the name of Jesus here, of course, 
as a symbol of his religion ; and in that sense, I 
say, " There is no other name given under 
heaven, among men whereby we must be saved." 
It, only, can reach the human heart, with a heal- 
ino- and regenerating influence; and the most 
obstinate spirits of evil, know that name, and 
bow down afraid before it, confessing its power, 
and fleeing from its sound ; while the}?" will not 
down, at the bidding of any other ; nor even at 
that, when it comes not with its own Divine 
authority. 



THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 335 



In illustration of this idea, let it be observed, 
I. There is one, and but one principle, on 
which, the gospel of Jesus relies for overcoming 
the evil of men's hearts and lives ; and that is, 
the principle of overcoming evil with good. 

This, stands outmost clearly, and prominently, 
in the teachings and examples of the Saviour. 
Look at his teachings ; and you shall find down 
deep, at the foundation, underlaying and termi- 
nating all, this sacred truth, that evil can be over- 
come only, by the power of goodness. Before his 
day, the doctrine had been, " An eye for an eye 
and a tooth for a tooth," and the world had been 
engaged in a long and arduous, as well as despe- 
rate, and fruitless attempt, to overcome evil with 
the power of evil. The teachings of the philos- 
ophers, and the systems of ethics and religion, and 
all the practices and theories of men and nations, 
were but a contest of antagonist evils ; an attempt 
to offset and overbalance, one evil with another. 
And the result was, as might have been antic- 
ipated. Possibly, there might have been in- 
stances, where the maniac had been chained, and 
thus restrained from committing the full amount 



336 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



of evil, that he might otherwise have done. But 
to cast out the evil spirit, and restore the man to 
his right mind ; and thus, render him harmless as 
a child ; this was a work which was never yet 
accomplished, by such means. But Jesus founded 
his doctrines and precepts upon a different basis. 
" I say unto you, Resist not evil. If a man smite 
thee on the one cheek, turn the other also. And 
if a man sue thee at the law, and take away thy 
coat, let him have thy cloak also." " Love your 
enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to 
them that hate j t ou, and pray for them, that de- 
spitefully use you and persecute you ; that ye may 
be the children of your father, who maketh his 
sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and send- 
eth his rain upon the just and the unjust," Thus 
he taught men to seek to overcome evil; and 
represented God, as always practising upon the 
same principle. Though men were wicked, yet 
the sun, and the rain came upon the evil and 
unthankful ; and upon the vilest of the vile, his 
blessings were poured out, in rich abundance. 
These were the teachings of Jesus, whom Paul 



THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 337 



taught, and herein resides their mighty power to 
cure the moral maladies of the world. 

Look at his example; and you shall find a 
practical illustration of this same truth. He was 
at all times surrounded with enemies, who watched 
every opportunity to do him evil, and even sought 
his life, with all eagerness. But he never op- 
posed to them, anything but the spirit of kind- 
ness. Obedient to his own precept and doctrine, 
he loved those that hated him, and prayed for 
those that persecuted him. When he spoke, he 
opened his mouth with blessings, and the people 
" wondered at the gracious words that proceeded 
from him." When the woman caught in sin was 
brought to him, that he might decide whether she 
should be stoned to death according to the cus- 
tom, he said, " Which of you is without sin, let 
him cast the first stone." " And being convicted 
by their own consciences, they went out, one 
after another, until all were gone." And when 
he saw, that none remained to condemn, he said, 
" Neither do I condemn thee, Go, and sin no 
more." In the like spirit, he met the contumely 
and abuse, the bufTetings and scourgings of his 
29 



338 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



enemies. When they smote him, and spat upon 
him, he uttered not a word ; and when they had 
brought him to the cross, he died with a prayer 
for his murderers upon his lips. This was Jesus, 
whom Paul preached, as enduring- contradiction 
of sinners, and commanding at all times, " If 
thine enemy hunger feed him, if he thirst, give 
him drink ;" and in this feature of his character 
you may see the secret of that mighty power, 
which he had, over the human heart and con- 
science. The publicans and sinners drew near to 
hear him, and were attentive to his words. It is 
remarkable, that those who were considered the 
wicked of the world, were not the enemies of 
Christ. The " common people heard him glad- 
ly," and it was left for religious bigotry to do, 
what brazen-faced iniquity dare not attempt. The 
publicans and sinners, unused to aught but curses 
and denunciations, had never heard the like 
before ; and they gathered around him, and hung 
with rapture upon his words ; and the hardened 
criminal felt his heart relent, and was melted, 
into contrition, in the presence of that strange 
being, whose words came from the deep fountains 



THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 339 



of Heaven's love, and whose presence was sur- 
rounded, with the breathings of Divine truth and 
mercy. Before mini the maniacs were silent and 
calm ; and even, that raving madman, whose wild, 
shriek rang, day and night, among the tombs, 
" whom no man could bind, for he brake the 
bands asunder," and who " cut himself with 
stones ;" he was hushed, and still, in the presence 
of the Son of God, and became harmless as a 
lamb, before the power of the Lord divine. And 
all this, is the result of the fact, that he " spake 
as never man spake," and the secret of it is ; he 
overcame evil with good. And so, when the dis- 
ciples were sent out, and endued with power from 
on high; they returned again with joy, wondering 
at the new discoveries they had made ; saying, 
"Lord, even the devils, are subject unto us, 
through thy name." 

And again, after the departure of Christ, signs 
and wonders followed those, who went forth in 
his name. There were gathered together, on the 
day of Pentecost, a great multitude, of various 
tongues and nations ; among them, the Jews who 
had killed the Lord of life and glory. Peter 



340 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



stood up and addressed them in the name of 
Christ, and informed them, that, by his name the 
wonders they had witnessed had been wrought. 
He charged them with having killed the Mes- 
siah, and assured them, that, the blood of the 
innocent was unwashed upon their hands. But 
he uttered no curses ; he indulged no spirit of 
wrath or cursing. Had he done so, they would 
have braced their nerves and said, " Who are 
ye?" But Peter said unto them "Let all the 
house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath 
made that same Jesus, whom ye persecuted, both 
Lord and Christ." And when they heard that, 
they were pricked in the heart, and said unto 
Peter, and the rest of the disciples, Men and 
brethren what shall we do ? " They could have 
been told well enough, that Jesus had been raised 
up as an avenger, and would come out against 
them, with all wrath and vengeance ; for, this 
would have been in accordance with the princi- 
ple of overcoming evil with evil, to which they 
were well accustomed. But when they learned, 
that God's goodness was high, above all their 
sins, and that, he had made that Jesus, whom 



THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 341 



they had slain, Lord and Saviour their hearts 
were touched and subdued ; and the result was, 
three thousand were converted in one day. It 
was the revelation of the power of that princi- 
ple, which meets evil with good, and in Christ's 
name and spirit, casts out devils, and purifies 
men's souls of the most obstinate spirits of evil. 

And so, this is the great principle, which, in 
ever)* age, and every conflict, has come off more 
than conqueror; distinguishing the true Gospel 
of Christ, and giving it the victory ; and preserving 
its steady and uniform march, onward towards 
an universal empire. He who comes with doc- 
trines deeply imbued in this spirit, and a practice 
conforming thereunto ; comes in the name, and 
the power of Christ, and before him the spirits 
of evil will flee away. 

Take an instance or two, in later times ; illus- 
trative of the fact, that this spirit has lost none 
of its power ; but that, the most obstinate spirits of 
evil, still know, and are submissive to the voice 
of Jesus, while they will tear and rend those 
who call in an unknown voice. 

I select as peculiarly appropriate, the same 
29* 



342 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

class of persons to whom the text, doubtless refers, 
the insane. What a melancholy spectacle does 
the treatment of the insane present for many ages 
past ! Unfortunately bereft of reason, men have 
ceased to treat them as human beings. They 
have been shunned, as very devils incarnate, and 
the strong arm of brute force has been laid heav- 
ily upon them. Ponderous chains have clanked 
upon their limbs ; and bolts, and bars, have reared 
barriers, full and impassable, between them and 
their fellow-creatures. Whips and thongs have 
been plied, to free them from their evil spirits ; 
and it has been thought, that an iron arm of 
power could alone control them. And what has 
been the result ? They have raved and muttered 
their curses. Their spirits have been goaded to 
a most desperate madness ; and as those who have 
persecuted them, have talked of religion, they 
have peered from their dungeons, and with glaring 
eyes and maniac laugh, have said, in the spirit, if 
not in the language of the text ; " Jesus we know 
and Paul we know, but who are ye ?" The exor- 
cists came not, in the spirit of the Master ; and 
the evil spirits would not " down at their bid- 



THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 343 

ding." With the example of Jesus before us, 
who always treated the insane with all consider- 
ation and kindness ; it took the enlightened world 
more than eighteen hundred years to learn, that 
goodness is an overmatch for insanity itself. It 
is the spirit of Jesus ; and the raving maniac, 
hears his voice, and knows it, and becomes calm 
and tranquil before him. In this spirit, the 
devils are cast out, and the maniac is restored to 
his right mind. Thank God, the lesson has been 
learned at last; and now, you may go to our 
lunatic asylums, where hundreds of the insane 
are congregated : and clad in the panoply of Jesus ; 
the spirit of love and kindness, those who attend 
them, walk in safety among the furious madmen, 
and no hair of their heads is injured. And as 
for the insane themselves ; subdued by this spirit, 
they come to themselves, and are restored to 
their friends, as they were before ; and remain 
standing monuments of the power of the name of 
Jesus to cast out devils, as in the days of old. 

A striking illustration of this fact may be found 
in the labors of Miss Dix, who has, not inappro- 
priately, been called the " God-appointed mission- 



344 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



ary to prisons and alms-houses." Mrs. Child 
says of her, that "among the hundreds of crazy 
people, with whom her sacred mission has 
brought her into companionship, she has not 
found one individual, however fierce and turbu- 
lent, that could not be calmed by Scripture and 
prayer, uttered in low and gentle tones. On one 
occasion she was cautioned, not to approach a 
raving maniac. He yelled frightfully, day and 
night ; rent his clothes ; plucked out his hair ; 
and was so violent, that it was supposed he would 
murder any one who ventured within his reach. 
Miss Dix began to read, with serene countenance 
and gentle voice, certain passages of Scripture, 
filled with the spirit of tenderness. His shouts 
gradually subsided, and at last he became per- 
fectly still." When she paused, he said meekly, 
" Read me some more, it does me good." And 
when she said, " I must go away now." " No," 
said he, " you cannot go. God sent you to me, 
and you must not go." " Give me your hand," 
said he. She gave it, and smiled upon him. 
The wild expression of his haggard countenance, 
softened into tearfulness as he said, " You treat 



THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 345 

me right. God sent you." With a smile she 
said to another maniac, "Henry, are you well to- 
day ? " " Hush ! hush ! " said he. " There are 
angels with you ! They have given you their 
voice." 

Truly, there are angels with those, who go in 
the name and the spirit of Jesus; and their voices 
are heard, in the language, that comes rich with 
the spirit of love. The maniac hears, and knows 
that voice, and becomes calm as the summer's 
morning. 

Take another illustration of the truth 1 am 
endeavoring to unfold ; furnished in the temper- 
ance movements of the day. 

The spirit of intemperance walked abroad un- 
chained in our land, and entered into many. 
The unskilful exorcists tried, in vain, to cast him 
out. They looked upon the poor inebriate as a 
lost man, and treated him with cold contempt. 
They cursed him, and in all bitterness, cast him 
out of the society of the virtuous, in this world ; 
and sentenced him to the lowest, and hottest hell, 
in the next ; and talked to him of Jesus whom 
Paul preached. The result was, he waxed worse 



346 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



and worse ; saying practically, "Jesus I know and 
Paul I know, but who are ye ? " Finally, it was 
given up, and put down as a fixed fact, that when 
once the spirit of intemperance had fairly entered 
a man, it could not be cast out. But, in due 
time there came those, who spake in different 
tones. They went forth in the spirit of Jesus ; 
they called in his name, and the poor drunkard in 
his cups, knew that calm, clear voice. They 
breathed his spirit, and it found an answering 
chord in his soul, and the abandoned were saved. 
The lost man was himself again ; and he stood 
up redeemed and regenerated ; and there was joy 
in many a desolate abode, as the prodigals came 
flocking to their homes. The vast success, which 
has attended the movements in that cause, is all 
to be attributed to the fact, that, a kindlier spirit 
has been breathed into the labors in its behalf ; 
and men have gone into it more in the spirit of 
the Master. The most abandoned know its 
power, and will obey; but they will not heed the 
words of one who comes in the name of Jesus, 
but in the practice of wrath. That was a dark- 
day in the history of this cause, when its advo- 



THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 347 



cates staggered, and faltered, in their firm reliance 
upon the power of good to overcome evil ; and 
called upon the arm of the law, strengthened by 
constables, sheriffs, fines and imprisonments, to 
help on the work of the Lord. Possibly, the 
maniac may be chained thus, but that he should 
ever be restored to his right mind, is impossible. 
While ye stood upon the immortal rock, and 
wielded the weapons of Jesus, ye stood firmly ; 
and did battle with a mighty hand ; but, depart- 
ing from that, or faltering in it, ye lost the right 
arm of your power. One single man ; pleading in 
the name of Jesus, and going forth in his spirit, is 
mightier far, than the arm of a commonwealth, 
and he shall cast out devils, that will mock and 
deride, all your " Laws of Assembly," and your 
" Acts to amend an act. ,; 

The spirit of intemperance, with red eye and 
bloated brow, wanders among the tombs, and 
unfrequented places of the earth — he lurks in 
every corner, and hides in every den, and peer- 
ing out from his hiding-places, and beholding 
your officers and laws, engaged in a warfare 
against him, he laughs them to scorn, and defies 



348 



THE CEOWX OF LIFE. 



them to their face ; saying, " Jesus I know and 
Paul I know, but who are ye, that I should obey 
you?" One voice, and one only, does he fear, or 
will he heed ; and that, is, the voice of Christ, 
which breathes Heaven's own love upon the soul. 
Let that voice be heard alone, and the victory is 
sure. It never failed, and though there are evil 
spirits, that come not out, " except by much 
prayer and fasting," yet come they must, when 
the Master's voice is heard. 

Let these remarks suffice in illustration of the 
position with which I started, that there is a 
power in the religion of Christ, to overcome evil 
and heal the moral maladies of the world, which 
exists in no other thing, beneath the sun. No 
system of men ; though it comes to us armed with 
the thunders of Sinai, and accompanied with the 
terrors of a hell, dark as Erebus, and hot as the 
furnace of perdition ; can so move, and mould, 
and melt the human soul, as it is moved and 
melted by the voice of Jesus, which speaks of 
Heaven's love; nor can any accumulation or mul- 
tiplication of evils threatened, cast out the evil 



THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 349 



spirits from men, or restore the insane to his right 
mind. 

Human philosophy, and learning, and wisdom 
too, are powerless, unless they are baptized in 
the name, and the spirit of Jesus. Learned a 
man may be, and wise as Socrates. Eloquent 
he may be, as Demosthenes, or Cicero ; and he 
may come to the people with words of beauty, 
and thoughts from the most profound oracles of 
human wisdom ; but if he leave out Jesus, and 
his Divine spirit and authority, there is a fatal 
defect, that will render his efforts powerless ; and 
his words though beautiful and sublime, shall fall 
upon his hearers like moonbeams upon the ice- 
berg ; which they cannot warm, or melt, however 
they may enlighten. Sad, will that day be, for 
the cause of virtue on earth, when the ministers 
of religion shall seek to bind the evil spirits, 
rather than to cast them out ; and to do this, 
shall depend upon their own wisdom, rather than 
the power of Jesus, and his holy love. Then 
will the glory of the Church depart, and, as her 
w T atchmen adjure the evil spirits to come out of 
men, the answer shall be, " Jesus I know and 
30 



350 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

Paul I know, but who are ye ? " But remaining" 
faithful, and cleaving, yet more closely, to the 
Divine Master, Zion shall arise and put on her 
beautiful garments. 

" Jesus, that name shall calm their fears, 
Dispel their doubts and dry their tears, 
Shall ease the anxious, throbbing breast 
And give the weary mourner, rest." 



SERMON XIX. 

PUBLIC WORSHIP. 

I had rather he a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to 
dwell in the tents of wickedness. Psalm 84 : 10. 

The bard Milton, puts into the mouth of one 
of his rebellious angels, the sentiment, that it is 
better " to rule in hell, than serve in heaven." 
The idea is, doubtless, quite congenial with that 
love of power, which marks the human charac- 
ter ; but it stands diametrically opposed to the 
lessons of experience, and the teachings of the 
Divine word. These would, rather, reverse the 
proposition, and teach us that it is better to be a 
servant in the temple of God, than a ruler in the 
habitations of wickedness. Those who are ac- 
quainted with the history of the author of our 
text, are aware that, he was peculiarly well qual- 
ified to judge, in the premises. Leaving the idea 
of inspiration out of the question, and viewing 
the text simply as a conclusion, drawn from the 
experience of the writer, it is worthy of much, 



352 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

and serious consideration. It was not an ardent 
youth, fired with new-born zeal, or enthusiasm, 
caught in the fever of momentary and deep 
excitement, who uttered this language. Nor was 
it a man borne down with adversity, and made 
sick of the world, by the harassing evils with 
which he was surrounded. But it was a man, 
who had long been King of Israel, and enjoyed a 
full share of the riches and honors of the world 
— an old man, leaning upon his staff — a man 
who had, in his day served, at times, both God 
and Mammon ; and who was rich in the lessons 
of wisdom, gathered from the experience of a 
long and eventful life. Such was the man, who 
gave his judgment, that it was better to be a door- 
keeper in the house of God, than to dwell in the 
tents of wickedness. He had fully learned the 
salutary lesson, which he elsewhere expresses, 
that there is " no peace to the wicked," while, 
that man is blessed, above the ordinary lot of 
mortals, who dwells in the sanctuary of his God. 

It is true, God may be worshipped everywhere, 
and it is of little consequence where human 
devotions are offered. The man, who feels, that 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 353 

God is with him, and upon -whose heart the 
incense of prayer and praise is laid, is a true 
worshipper, though he dwell in the wilderness, or 
upon a solitary island of the sea ; for, God is not 
alone worshipped in " temples made with hands." 
I presume, however, the Psalmist had particular 
reference to the public worship of God, as per- 
formed by his people, when he spoke of being a 
door-keeper in the house of his God. Without 
pausing for anything like a critical examination 
of the peculiar phraseology of the text, I shall 
take it as an indication of the high estimate, 
which the author placed upon the privilege of 
worshipping God, "in the congregation of the 
people." He was rich and honorable. He sat 
upon a throne, and was clothed in purple and fine 
linen — the luxuries of earth were around him, 
and a crown of honor was upon his head. But 
all these were dust and vanity, when compared 
with the blessedness, that came down upon his 
soul in the house of devotion. He would ex- 
change his sceptre for the shepherd's crook — he 
would give his sumptuous fare for the board of 
the humble poor — he would lay aside his diadem 
30* 



354 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



and his crown, arid come down from his throne 
of power, to stand as an humble door-keeper in 
the house of God, and count it a bargain, which 
had made him rich, in comparison with the pov- 
erty of soul, that would come upon him, if 
debarred from the worship of his God. Such is 
the inestimable value, that David attached to the 
house of devotion ; and to us it should be a mat- 
ter of serious inquiry, whether it is less valuable 
now, than in the days of the text. It is upon the 
subject thus presented, that I intend this dis- 
course to bear. 

I desire to call your attention to the important 
ministries, which are performed by the institution 
of public worship, and to the consequent privi- 
lege and duty of cherishing it, as one of the most 
valuable blessings, with which we are favored. I 
remark then, that, the worship of God, as con- 
ducted in our Christian churches is valuable, 

I. On account of its salutary influence upon 
individual character and happiness. 

It is in reality far more desirable for a man to 
be something worth, in and of himself, than to 
possess a world ; because our happiness flows from 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 



355 



what we are, rather than from what we have ; 
and also, because the latter, we are liable to lose, 
while the former cannot be wrested from us. 
Now, let any man of ordinary candor and intel- 
ligence, go about the work of forming an estimate 
of the amount of influence, which has been 
exerted by the institution of public worship, in 
making him what he is, in feeling, in habits of 
thought, and character ; and he w r ill find, that he 
is more deeply indebted, in this matter, than he, 
at first imagines. Our parents, before us, were 
trained in a land of churches, and constantly 
under their influence ; and whatever of dispo- 
sition they had to bring us up, " in the nurture 
and admonition of the Lord ; " whatever of 
power they had to inspire our tender minds with 
a feeling of reverence for God and his laws, or a 
love of truth and duty, was nurtured and kept 
alive and active, by the influence of the institu- 
tion of public worship. The schools in which 
we were educated ; the companions with whom 
we associated ; the society in which we have 
moved, all received their tone and bias, from that 
same influence ; — were pervaded with it, and 



356 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



owe to it, all of power, for good, they possessed. 
There is not, to-day, a feeling of our hearts, a 
sentiment of our souls, a principle of truth, or 
virtue, of love to God, or good-will to man ; a 
shield from temptation ; a thought of confidence 
in God, or a hope in his goodness, for time or 
eternity, which has not been bom in the house of 
worship, or nurtured and strengthened by the 
influence, there brought to bear upon us. It has 
been the foster-parent, at least, of all that is 
solid and thoughtful, about us, and of all of vir- 
tue, love, and hope, we possess. Its holy breath- 
ings swept over our infant thoughts, and tuned 
them to virtue, and to God. It was felt in the 
prayer, taught us by a mother's voice, in life's 
early dawn. It was manifested in every virtuous 
principle and good resolve, which came from that 
mother's love. It whispered to us, in the sweet 
and glad voices of our youthful companions ; and 
in ever} - period of our lives, it has pervaded and 
sanctified the circles in which we have moved; 
filled the very air that we breathe, and made us 
morally, and spiritually, what we are. 

And then, again, what visions of glory and 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 



357 



bliss has it not opened before us ! What foun- 
tains of misery have been dried up, and what 
new sources of happiness has it given us ! Where 
learned we, and what is it, that has kept alive in 
our minds, the great truth that there is a God, all 
good and wise, to whom we may look as our 
father, and friend, under all the circumstances of 
human life ? What is it, that has stamped the 
impress of a Saviour's love, of Calvary and its 
cross, upon our souls? What is it, that has 
brought another world to view, and kept fresh 
and green in our hearts, the blessed hope of life 
and immortality? Nay, what is it, that has 
raised us above the benighted idolater, who wor- 
ships the wood, or the stone, and submits to cruel 
tortures in the service of his gods ? I point you 
to the temple of Christian devotion, and I bid you 
there, behold the secret of the matter. But for 
that temple, you and I, had been to-day, in the 
darkness of heathen ignorance, and not a whit 
better than the veriest idolater that lives. From 
no other source, on earth, has there been exerted 
upon us, an influence so salutary, or so all-per- 
vading, as this ; and it is not too much to ask, 



358 



THE CROWN OF LIFE, 



that men should remember and cherish deeply in 
their hearts, that, by which they have been so 
abundantly blessed. 

Not only this ; but, I would persuade you, to 
compare, the real enjoyment, of the house of 
worship, with that, which flows from the amuse- 
ments, which men follow in such eager haste. 
To which portion of time, does memory recur 
with most pleasure ? To that, spent in the house 
of worship ? Or to that, which has been devoted 
to the pursuit of pleasure ? I have no word to 
utter against innocent, and rational amusements. 
To the buoyant spirits of youth they are proper, 
and may be made useful ; and I would be the 
last to write the wrinkles, or the gravity of age, 
upon the blooming face of youth. Nay, let it 
be wreathed in smiles, and let its gladsome heart 
speak out its joy. Let it seek amusement and 
recreation ; not as the business, but, as the relax- 
ation of life. So God has ordained, and he that 
wars against it, wars with nature, and will surely 
be worsted in the battle. But, what I wish to 
say, is merely this. Pleasures soon pall upon 
the senses, and leave the soul unsatisfied, as it 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 



359 



was before. They afford little satisfaction, in the 
retrospect ; and in themselves, give no calm and 
solid happiness, which can be compared to that, 
which comes upon the devout soul, in the hour of 
communion with God. The social party, the 
cheering song, the enlivening dance, are all well 
enough in their sphere, and except in their excess, 
are liable to no objection. But, their impressions 
aTe momentary, and their pleasures fleeting and 
transitory. Highly as they may be prized, and 
much as they may be doated upon, by the young, 
there is not before me, a youth, in life's gayest 
morning, who will not remember this house, with 
calm and heartfelt joy, when that social party, and 
pleasant dance, shall be forgotten, or remembered 
only, as a fragile flower that bloomed and withered, 
in a day. When age comes, or sickness, or mis- 
fortune shall befall you ; when disappointed hope 
turns away from the gilded bauble, to which it 
has been aspiring, and the soul, thrown back 
upon itself, feels how fleeting and unsatisfactory 
are all earthly things, then will the memory of this 
sanctuary of God, and the principles here im- 
bibed come, with a blessed influence, upon your 



360 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



fainting spirits, and cause you to confess the wis- 
dom of David's choice, when he said, " I had 
rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, 
than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." 

II. I note the influence of public worship upon 
the community at large. 

Society is made up of individuals, and it needs 
no argument to show, that anything which ben- 
efits the individnal man, is a blessing to the body 
of society. But hoiu much we, as a people, owe 
to the influence of public worship, as a prominent 
institution of our country, does not so readily 
appear to the superficial observer. If you com- 
pare the state of society, in this country, with 
that, of those lands where Christian worship is 
unknown, you will see, in the good order and 
peace, that prevail — in the laws for the protec- 
tion of the weak against the strong — in our 
asylums for the orphan — our hospitals for the 
sick — our refuges for the poor — and our agen- 
cies for the relief of all kinds of human suffer- 
ing, some of the prominent fruits of the wide 
influence of our temples of public worship. In 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 



361 



no nation, where God is not worshipped, can 
such things be found. 

When our forefathers landed upon the shores 
of New England, among their first doings was 
the erection of a house of worship ; and the spirit 
therein cultivated was diffused through all their 
laws and institutions. They were a people who 
worshipped God, and that worship served to hal- 
low and sanctify the blessed institutions, they 
planted. If New England, this day, stands pre- 
eminent in the world, for its love of law and 
order, and for all those advantages, that exalt and 
ennoble any people ; it is because the foundations 
of its prosperity were laid, upon the acknowl- 
edgment of God, and its people have, from its 
infancy, worshipped in his temple. It is true, 
that, schools were established, and it is customary 
for men to boast of these ; as the cause of this 
unwonted prosperity. They are indeed, sources 
of a just pride, and of incalculable good; but, 
had not they, too, been pervaded with the leaven 
of Divine truth, and sanctified by the influence, 
that has so constantly gone forth from our houses 
of worship, they would have become schools of 
31 



362 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



vice ; training the intellect, merely, and preparing 
each, rising generation, to become still greater 
adepts in iniquity. Let them cease to educate 
the heart, as well as the head, and they will 
become curses rather than blessings. The true 
glory of New England ; the prime cause of its 
success ; the cause which lies back of all others 
— the safeguard of its morals — the preserver of 
that righteousness, which is the safety of a 
nation, is in those temples of worship, which 
point their spires towards heaven, in every city, 
village and hamlet, through all its length and 
breadth. I would not claim for them, more than 
strict justice will allow. But, if they were no 
more than mere halls, convenient for public lec- 
tures, on subjects of importance, — if there, the 
people assembled, from w T eek to week, and were 
expected to preserve a serious and orderly de- 
meanor, and listen with attention, to what might 
be offered, their influence could not be otherwise 
than salutary, upon the public weal. 

But they are more than this. They are places 
for the cultivation of the moral and religious 
nature ; the highest faculties with w T hich man is 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 



363 



endued. And these faculties, can no more be 
properly developed, and trained, without the aid 
of public worship, than the intellect can be prop- 
erly cultivated, without schools. But these tem- 
ples are the altars, where men pay their devotions 
to God ; where a sense of man's responsibility to 
his Creator is kept alive ; where the standard of 
public morals is erected, and kept elevated; 
where bright hopes are cherished, and man is 
reminded of his dignity, his duty, and his des- 
tiny. And from them, there goes out a perpetual, 
and healthful influence, keeping up the love of 
law, order, and decorum ; restraining the bois- 
terous passions ; and aiding in all, that can beau- 
tify and adorn human society. In them, the pub- 
lic sentiment, upon all questions of morals, and 
religion, is formed ; and the pressure of this senti- 
ment is brought to bear, with mighty power, 
against vice, in all its forms. All the statutes of 
the state, and the ordinances of your city, and 
the officers of the law, would be powerless were 
they not upheld by the moral sense of the peo- 
ple, which is formed, and regulated, by the insti- 
tution of public worship. Without it, your 



364 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



police of cities, and your attempts to govern 
town, or country, would be a nullity. That sen- 
timent is stronger than the sword ; and here, it 
peacefully maintains law and order, and moral- 
ity, in a degree, that myriad armies, in other 
lands, strive in vain to enforce. 

Say what you will, about Priestcraft, and the 
iniquities, that are practised under the garb of 
religion ; I deny not, there is something of truth 
in what you say: but, if to remove the evil, you 
would desert, or break down, the altars of re- 
ligion, you would find to your cost, that the 
remedy is worse than the disease. Destroy your 
churches ; dissolve your worshipping assemblies, 
and soon, very soon, the standard of public mor- 
als will fall low — public opinion will cease to 
act upon vice, and the inevitable result will be, 
that an overwhelming flood of sin will deluge the 
land. It gives me no feeling of envy, or jeal- 
ousy, to see churches going up, and thronged, 
with those who are called by another name : and 
worship by a creed, that differs from mine. 
Rather I rejoice, that there are places where all 
can worship, in the manner most consonant with 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 



365 



their views of duty ; and I know, that good is the 
result; for, thus, the tone of public morals is 
elevated, and the foundations of our national 
safety are cemented and strengthened. Destroy 
the worship of God in these United States, and 
our boasted liberty would be a curse. One quar- 
ter century would not pass, ere the hand of 
violence, would lay hold upon the pillars of the 
temple of our liberty, and pull it down about the 
ears of the people ; for the simple reason, that, 
our government is of all others, most dependent 
upon the moral sense, and the virtue of the peo- 
ple. I cannot therefore, regard that man, as a 
well-instructed, and faithful lover of his country, 
who encourages, by precept or example, a neg- 
lect of public worship, and thus undermines the 
foundations of our national safety, and political 
prosperity. 

Attend now to some conclusions, that seem to 
flow from our subject, as thus presented. 

I. The support of public worship is a duty, 
that every man owes to himself, and the commu- 
nity, in which he lives. 

If I am right, in the views I have taken, 
31* 



386 



THE CROWN OF LIFE, 



of the influence of public worship, upon the 
general interests of society, I suppose there can 
be no doubt, about the correctness of this con- 
clusion. I hold it to be an axiom, that every 
man, who consents to live in society, and who 
avails himself of its advantages, is bound to con- 
tribute his share, to the general welfare ; and to 
every institution, upon which, that welfare de- 
pends. If it be true, that the tone of public 
morals ; the enjoyment of refined society — the 
security of property, and personal liberty, as well 
as the prosperity and permanency of our civil 
institutions, depend, in a good measure, or in any 
measure, upon the influence of public worship ; 
then evidently, every man, who enjoys these priv- 
ileges, and immunities, is bound in sheer justice, 
to do his part, for the support of that worship. 
Nor, has any man a better right to avail himself 
of the advantages, thus secured, without perform- 
ing this duty, than he has to educate his family, 
or feed, or clothe them at the expense of his 
neighbors. Yet, many are content to do nothing 
in the premises. Glad enough indeed, are they, 
to reap the advantages of this institution, pro- 



PUBLIC WORSHIP, 



367 



vided others will pay for it. But when called 
upon to do their part in the premises, they will 
either dole out a pittance, such as they would give 
to a common beggar; or turn away, with an 
ominous shrug of the shoulders saying, they can- 
not afford to do -anything. Probably not, as long 
as others will do it for them. But of one thing I 
am sure ; there is no man among you, who can 
afford to let the houses of worship, in this city, 
be shut up. Look at it, ye men of houses and 
lands, and ye owners of stocks, who chuckle over 
your " cent per cent." What is it, that makes 
your property secure ? What is it, that gives you 
rent for your houses, and returns for your invest- 
ments ? Have the public morals, and the charac- 
ter of your city, as a place of law, and order, and 
social and religious advantages, nothing to do 
with this matter ? I tell you they have much to 
do with it. Destroy every church, and disband 
every worshipping assembly in this, or any other 
city, and in six months its houses shall be ten- 
antless, and the roar of its industry shall be 
silent ; for, who would live in a city where God 
is not worshipped ? Can you afford that ? If 



368 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



not, then interest unites with duty in demanding, 
that every man shall do his part, in upholding 
those institutions, upon which our prosperity de- 
pends, in a good degree. The truth is, every 
house of public worship, built and filled from 
Sabbath to Sabbath in any city, adds to the value 
of property alone, far more than it costs ; and no 
man should thus enrich himself at the expense 
of others. 

II. Public worship is a blessed privilege, which 
ought not to be neglected. 

If we would preserve in our own souls the 
principles of truth and duty ; if we would secure 
to ourselves a correct and refined moral sense ; if 
we would be armed with strength in the day of 
temptation ; if we would grow in knowledge and 
virtue, and prepare ourselves with bright hopes to 
cheer us, in the hour of sorrow and affliction ; if 
we would be, what we ought to be, calm, consist- 
ent, hopeful, trustful and happy men, then should 
we regularly and constantly worship God, in his 
sanctuary. 

It may be observed, here, that there are two 
objects to be gained in attendance upon the public 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 



369 



services of the church. One is instruction, and 
the other, a spirit of devotion. The first of 
these may not always be obtained, in an eminent 
degree. Few seem to be aware of the tax, which 
the preparation of two or three discourses per 
week, lays upon the intellectual energies of a 
preacher. And when it is remembered that this 
preparation has often to be made, in the midst of 
pressing duties, and harassing cares, it cannot be 
expected, reasonably of any man, that he shall 
present to his people, from an hundred to an hun- 
dred and fifty discourses in a year, all of which 
shall be characterized, by profound thought, or an 
eloquent style, or diction. In any other profes- 
sion, a half dozen fine efforts of the kind, in a 
year, will establish the reputation of the author ; 
but the preacher is in danger of losing his influ- 
ence, if he does not pour out a perpetual flood of 
eloquence and wisdom. But no living man can 
do this ; and hence I say, you may often fail of 
being much instructed, in the house of worship. 

But you need not fail of worshipping God, and 
communing with him from off the mercy seat. 
You can bow in lowly reverence before him, 



370 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



and feel your spiritual strength renewed. And 
this is not the least important object of going 
to the house of the Lord. I pray you, then, re- 
member the public worship of God, and neglect 
it not. If this place does not meet your views, or 
satisfy your wants, go to one that does. If this 
minister does not edify and instruct, or lead your 
hearts to God and virtue, seek another, by whom 
you can be profited. But in God's name, wrong 
not your own souls, starve not your spirits, by 
denying them that food, which abounds in the 
temple of worship ; for it is now true as in the 
days of the Psalmist, that, it is better to be a 
door-keeper in the house of the Lord, than to 
dwell in the tents of wickedness. 



SERMON XX. 

SALVATION IN CHRIST ALONE. 

This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which 
has become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in 
any other ; for there is none other name under heaven, given among 
men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4 : 11, 12. 

These are the words of Peter, and they were 
originally addressed to the Rulers, Elders and 
Scribes, together with the High Priest, and his 
kindred, before whom, this apostle was accused 
as a malefactor. It appears, that Peter and John 
were in Jerusalem, and on entering into the Tem- 
ple, they found a man sitting at the gate, asking 
alms, who had been lame from his birth. When 
he looked wishfully at Peter and John, expecting 
to receive something, the former said unto him, 
" Silver and gold have I none ; but such as I have, 
give I thee ; in the name of Jesus Christ of Naz- 
areth, rise up and walk. And he took him by 
the hand, and lifted him up, and immediately his 
feet and ankle bones, received strength, and he 



372 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



leaped up and stood, and walked, and entered 
with them into the Temple, walking- and leaping, 
and praising God." The performance of this mir- 
acle excited the attention and fears of the people, 
and " They gathered together against Peter and 
John, being grieved that they taught, through 
Jesus, the resurrection of the dead; and they 
laid hands on them, and put them in hold, until 
the next day." 

On the morrow, the rulers and their associates 
were gathered together ; and when they had 
brought forth the two disciples, and set them in 
their midst, they demanded of them, by what 
name they had done this. Peter answered them, 
that he had done it by the name of Jesus Christ 
of Nazareth, whom they had crucified, and whom 
God had raised from the dead ; and he continued 
in the language of our text, — " This is the stone 
which was set at nought by you builders, which 
has become the head of the corner. Neither is 
there salvation in any other ; for there is none 
other name, under heaven, given among men, 
whereby we must be saved." 

It is possible, the Apostle intended the language 



SALVATION IN CHRIST ALONE. 373 

here employed, for special application to the cir- 
cumstances, in which he was placed. It appears, 
that the people " were grieved because he taught, 
through Jesus, the resurrection of the dead " and 
it is not unlikely, that, when he charged them 
with having rejected him, as a corner-stone, he 
alluded particularly to the truth, that, they too, 
held the doctrine of the resurrection, but had built 
it on another foundation. In like manner, in the 
declaration, that there was no other name by 
which they could be saved, it may be, that he 
alluded, especially, to salvation from those severe 
judgments, which were impending over that peo- 
ple, and for deliverance from which, they trusted, 
not in Christ. However this may be, it is doing 
no violence to the spirit of the text, to take a 
more extended view of the principle, on which it 
is founded ; and in discoursing from it, I propose 
to illustrate the position, that Jesus is the last, and 
the only substantial foundation of hope, for salva- 
tion to the world. Define the term salvation, in 
any scriptural sense ; use it, in its most broad, or 
most limited meaning, and still it is true, that it 

can be found in none but Christ ; for, there is no 
32 



374 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



other name given of God whereby man can be 
saved. The terms "saved" and "salvation" are 
used, in the Scriptures, with considerable latitude 
of meaning. Sometimes they allude to a deliv- 
erance from the temporal destruction of the Jews, 
which had long been foretold by the prophets, and 
which was then impending over that ill-fated peo- 
ple. Such is the fact, in the case, where Jesus 
spoke of the coming desolation, and the trials 
which awaited his disciples, at its near approach ; 
and said, " He that endureth unto the end shall 
be saved." The end here named, is doubtless, 
the end of the Jewish state ; and the salvation, 
is deliverance from that unparalleled desolation, 
w T hich came upon that nation. 

If the text uses these terms in this sense ; the 
event, when it came, fully justified the assertion, 
that the stone, which they had rejected, was 
indeed the head of the corner ; and that, there 
was salvation in no other. When the holy city 
w T as girt about with armies ; the proud temple 
in flames ; and the people falling in myriads, 
before the sword of the conqueror, and melting 
away, under the more dreadful mortality of fam- 



SALVATION IN CHRIST ALONE. 375 

ine and pestilence, then was it most evidently- 
manifest, that there was salvation, only in Christ. 

Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless, a 
well-authenticated fact, that, in that scene of ter- 
rible carnage and utter ruin, which made the city 
of their strength a theatre of unutterable woe, and 
a scene of blood and tears; not a single faithful 
and steadfast, believer in Jesus, is known to have 
perished. They trusted in him ; heeded the signs 
that he foretold, and seizing the only possible 
opportunity', fled to a neighboring cit}^ and were 
safe. Through Christ, they were saved, neither 
was there salvation in any other. 

It is remarkable also, that, during that siege, 
false prophets, pretending to have salvation, rose 
up, almost without number, and deceived many. 
They promised the people a miraculous interpo- 
sition of God, for their deliverance ; and thus, 
encouraged them in that hopeless, and obstinate 
resistance, which astonished and enraged their 
enemies, and ultimately tended to render their 
destruction more hopeless and complete. 

Many were the names in which they trusted, 



376 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

but not one of them could save ; but the leader 
and his people fell in one common ruin. 

In this view of salvation, it is easy to see, in 
the event, that the text is most sacredly true. 
But I dwell not on this point. It might indeed 
lead us to anticipate the same result in further 
inquiries; and teach us, that the counsels of 
Heaven are fixed and immutable as fate ; so that, 
when once the voice of inspiration has spoken, 
not " one jot, or one tittle shall pass away, until 
all be fulfilled," 

There is, however, a wider, and more profitable 
view to be taken of the subject. The salvation 
of the New Testament is not merely a deliver- 
ance of the people of one nation from temporal 
calamities ; but it reaches the whole race of men, 
and has an influence upon the whole course of 
their existence, in time, and eternity. It is a sal- 
vation from ignorance, sin, and death ; and the 
point to which I now invite your attention, is, 
that, in any, and all these particulars, there is no 
other name given, whereby we must be saved, but 
the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 

Sin and ignorance usually go hand in hand, 



SALVATION IN CHRIST ALONE. 377 

and that man cannot save himself, from these, 
wil be evident upon a moment's reflection. I do 
not, of course, intend to say, there is no knowl- 
edge, or degree of outward morality, which man 
can obtain, and thus deliver himself from igno- 
rance and vice of some sort. But I speak of 
ignorance concerning things Divine, and of that 
knowledge, which relates to the thraldom of the 
soul, and its deliverance from the reigning power 
and dominion of sin ; and I say, man cannot save 
himself from, the one, or obtain the other, without 
aid from on high. It is true, there have been, on 
earth, nations who have gained some knowledge, 
of the philosophy of the world, and raised them- 
selves to some degree of eminence, in the arts of 
civilization, without the aid of the Gospel of 
Christ. But in these instances, there are two 
facts, to be borne constantly in mind. 

I. Knowledge was confined to the few, and that 
too, at the expense of the degradation and igno- 
rance of the many. There is no such thing, on 
the record of the world, as the spontaneous rising 
of a whole nation, from ignorance to knowledge, 
each man, by the unaided energies of his own soul. 
32* 



378 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



A few men of gigantic intellectual power, have 
appeared, and have made some progress in knowl- 
edge, upon some subjects ; but the masses have 
remained in ignorance ; or if they have improved 
at all, they have depended upon their leaders, at 
every step of their advancement ; for they could 
not save themselves. 

II. It is to be noted, that the cultivation of the 
moral and spiritual nature, did not in these 
cases, keep pace with intellectual improvement. 
Their escape from ignorance, was not a de- 
liverance from sin; nor was the knowledge 
obtained, of that kind, which tended to salvation 
from iniquity. 

Greece was learned and wise, in some things ; 
but all her wisdom did not advance her a step 
towards the knowledge of God, or deliverance 
from vice. Rome was great, and some of her 
sages were learned and eloquent men ; but the 
masses were ignorant ; and ail the knowledge of 
her wisest men, did not save "the nation from an 
idolatry as gross, as her ignorance was dark. Nor 
was the moral aspect of either Greece or Rome, 
far above that, presented by the most ignorant 



ALVATION IN CEEIST ALOJTE. 379 



nations of their times. Sin -was as rife, in the 
splendid palace, reared by their knowledge of art, 
as among the ignorant multitudes, that followed 
other banners to fields of carnage and blood, All 
which, as I judge, goes to prove that man, in, 
and of himself, has not the power to rise to the 
knowledge of those Divine things, which are 
necessary to deliver his soul from sin. 

AVe hear indeed, much, of the wonderful 
powers of man ; and of the recuperative ener- 
gies of human nature, which are able to elevate 
man to the highest possible dignity. And if, it 
be meant only, that the mind has the capacity to 
search out, what is " of the earth earthly," and to 
acquire the wisdom, that is " from beneath," I 
will not dispute the point. But, if it be meant, 
that man is so furnished with internal springs of 
life and light, that he needs none to teach him ; 
but, can vault from earth to heaven, and intuitively 
seize upon that Divine light, which shall illumin- 
ate his spiritual darkness, and redeem him from 
moral pollution : I would pause, and at least, sus- 
pend judgment, until some instance of this kind 
of salvation is presented. I make a distinction 



380 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



here, between natural goodness, and that, which is 
the result of culture and discipline. There are 
men, gifted with great intellectual powers, who 
will, in some things, advance in knowledge, 
either useful, or otherwise, as the case may be. 
There are also, men whose natural disposition, 
and temperament, are of a mild and gentle type ; 
and these may doubtless, " do by nature some of 
the things done in the law;" yet, this fact proves 
not that, they are partakers of salvation, in the 
Scripture sense of the term. The difference 
between this natural goodness, if such it may 
be called ; and that, which is the result of prin- 
ciple, of culture, and discipline, is world-wide. 
The former has no connection with knowledge, or 
moral principle ; but will flow as freely from the 
ignorant savage, as from the wisest sage ; but the 
latter, proceeds from a knowledge of God, of 
truth, and duty. It is the result of principles, 
planted in the soul, and is secured by much toil, 
and many a stern conflict, w r ith the powers of 
darkness. It evinces salvation from ignorance, 
and from the dominion of the unhallowed pas- 
sions. 



SALVATION IN CHRIST ALONE. 381 

And now, my position is, that man by the 
energies of his own nature, and in his own 
unaided strength, cannot grasp this salvation. He 
needs, and he must have, a Saviour, or he gropes 
in ignorance of the good and the true, of God, 
and of duty ; and from the darkness of that ig- 
norance, and the pit of that pollution, there is 
but one name which can save ; and that, is the 
name of Christ. 

Take the case of Saul of Tarsus as an illustra- 
tion. He was wise in the wisdom of the world ; 
learned in all the philosophy of his day ; taught 
according to the most perfect manner of the 
fathers, and well instructed in all the traditions 
of the elders. But, he was exceedingly mad, and 
breathed out threatening and slaughter against 
his brethren of the human race. He entered into 
every house ; drew forth men and women to 
prison, and when they were put to death, gave 
his voice against them; persecuting even to 
strange cities. All his knowledge, though of the 
most approved sort, did not improve his spiritual 
nature, or save him from being the chief of sin- 
ners. 



382 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

But, all at once, this furious persecutor be- 
comes harmless as the lamb. His savage ferocity 
becomes gentle as the soft breathings of love 
itself. He renders no railing for railing, or hatred 
for hatred. He toils, with a martyr's zeal, for 
human good. He endures persecution with pa- 
tience and resignation. He submits his limbs to 
the chain, and his back to the scourge ; and meets 
obloquy and reproach, without a murmur or com- 
plaint ; and at last, faces death itself, in the path 
of duty. 

Search we for the cause of this strange trans- 
formation ; this wonderful deliverance from the 
spirit of sin and iniquity; and this astonishing 
development of the moral elements of the man : 
we shall not find it, in the fact, that he has taken 
other lessons from his learned master Gamaliel, 
or drank more deeply at the fountains of human 
wisdom. He might have done this, to the day of 
his death, and still have been a moral dwarf; a 
slave of sin, and the same violent persecutor, 
thirsting for blood ; for, in all his wisdom there 
was no saving power. But the name of Jesus 
saved him. Thus he tells the story of his deliv- 



SALVATION IN CHRIST ALONE. 383 



erance. " For, ye have heard of my conversa- 
tion in time past, in the Jew's religion, how that, 
beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, 
and wasted it. But when it pleased God, who 
separated me from my mother's Womb, and called 
me by his grace ; to reveal his son in me, that I 
might preach him among the heathen ; imme- 
diately I conferred not with flesh and blood ; nei- 
ther went up to Jerusalem, to them that were 
apostles before me." It was the power of the rev- 
elation of Jesus, and that alone, which wrought 
this salvation in his case ; and it may well be 
doubted, if there was ever another name, that 
could have produced this effect. Not all the wis- 
dom of the schools ; not all the philosophy of the 
world, and the knowledge of earth's sages, can 
produce an instance parallel to this. 

Slowly, men may have been raised, by others, 
from ignorance to a respectable degree of knowl- 
edge in the sciences of the world ; and it is pos- 
sible, that an improvement of the morals may 
sometimes result; though, often, the tendency is 
downward, in this respect, instead of upward. 
But such a transformation of all the moral and 



384 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

spiritual nature of man ; such a deliverance, at 
once, from the power of sin, can only be wrought 
by the Gospel of Christ ; and all the records of 
human science, furnish no instance of the kind. 

No single man, by the simple energies of his 
own soul, or the aid of earthly wisdom, has thus 
burst the fetters of sin, and stood up disen- 
thralled, and redeemed, in the full liberty of the 
children of God. Where then, is the hope of the 
race, or the prospect, that the world will be thus 
saved ? The truth is, human wisdom is well, in 
its place. I have no word to utter against the 
philosophy of the world, as such ; but truth com- 
pels me to say, it has no sanctifying or saving 
power. Left to itself, it will work evil, as well as 
good ; and it has hitherto been quite as much 
exercised in devising the means of destruction, as 
salvation. Only when it is pointed to its end, 
and directed in its labors, by the spirit of Christ, 
does it become, even an auxiliary, in the work of 
human redemption. Thus, in the sense we have 
had in view, it is evident, that there is no other 
name, than that of Christ, by which we must be 
saved. 



SALVATION IN CHRIST ALONE. 3S5 

Sad, indeed, is the mistake of that man, who 
in the depths of his devotion, to the science 
or philosophy of the world, imagines, that it has 
power to redeem from iniquity, and sanctify the 
soul to duty and to God. Most sad of all, is the 
error of that preacher of the Gospel, who neglect- 
ing to rely upon the name of Jesus, and to pro- 
claim his truth, imagines he can reform, the 
vicious, or speak home to the moral and spiritual 
nature of his hearers, by amusing them with the 
theories of men, or the profundity of his erudi- 
tion, in the mysteries of philosophy. One beam 
from the sun of righteousness ; one thought fresh 
from the Master, and baptized in the name, and the 
spirit of Jesus, is more powerful to redeem from 
sin, and kindle the fires of a new spiritual life, 
upon the altar of the heart, than huge volumes 
of the vain speculations of men. The latter 
may please the fancy, and amuse for an hour. 
They may even, commend the preacher to popu- 
lar favor, and give him a name among the refined 
and eloquent of the day ; but they will starve 
the soul. The former alone, can touch the 
heart ; melt, regenerate, reform, and save. 
33 



3S6 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



I remark, again ; The salvation of the New 
Testament, contemplates the deliverance of man, 
from that fear of death, which hath torment ; and 
ultimately, from death itself. " For this purpose 
the Son of God was manifested, that he might 
destroy death, and deliver those, who through fear 
of death, were all their lifetime subject to bond- 
age." 

Various have been the speculations of men, 
in regard to the prospect, that lies before them, for 
the future. The mind is so constituted, that we 
must look forward, and inquire what awaits us, 
in that world of darkness, to which we are all 
hastening. The graves are green, or open, before 
us, and the inquisitive eye asks for light to shine 
upon the gloom of that narrow house, which is 
appointed for all the living. 

Many are the attempts, that have been made, 
to relieve man from the doubts and fears, which 
hover over the result of the battle of death. 
Earth's proudest sages, and wisest heads have 
pondered that question long, and sought to de- 
liver from the bondage of the destroyer. But 
their labors are vain. Their success is seen in 



SALVATION IN CHRIST ALONE. 387 

the Pagan, whose trembling hope points to a 
heaven of lust and sin ; and whose guilty fears 
stand and shudder, at the thought of a deep Tar- 
tarean gulf, where spirits wander in rayless night, 
and seek in vain, for rest. It is seen, in the 
crude and miserable views, that prevail, even 
among, what the world calls, its enlightened men 
— views, which clothe the future in mourning and 
sorrow ; make it a scene of endless cursing and 
blasphemy, or a cheerless abode of endless, non- 
existence ; thus giving little to hope for, or in, 
and much to fear. To whom then will you go 
for deliverance from the power of death ? " Lord, 
to whom shall we go, but unto thee ? " Thou 
only, hast the words of eternal life, which can 
remove the gloomy veil, and bring a better world 
to view. In the name of Jesus, and in that 
alone, is laid a sure foundation of hope. Others 
had taught in theory, and speculated after the 
manner of the wisdom of the world. But Jesus 
did more than this. He taught in words, and 
demonstrated in fact, the resurrection of the dead. 
He went into the grave itself, sanctified it by his 
presence, and rose from its bars, thus sundering 



3SS 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



the strongest chains of death, and proving, tan- 
gibly to the world, that the dead shall live. Rea- 
son as you may, speculate as you please ; here is 
the only firm and immovable foundation of hope. 
This rejected stone is the head of the corner. No 
other name can boast of a victory like this ; nei- 
ther is there salvation, in any other. In all other 
systems there is doubt, and fear ; in this there is 
none. Based upon the rock of ages, the believ- 
ing soul ! s secure. The heaving elements 
may rage, and roar around him, and the angry 
billows, like rolling mountains threaten to over- 
whelm him ; but looking unto Jesus, trusting in 
that blessed name, and standing upon that " cor- 
ner-stone, tried and precious," he feels that all is 
well. He knoweth his Redeemer lives, and he 
shall live also. And when the time of his de- 
parture is at hand, he can say in spirit, and in 
truth, to him on whom his soul believes, 

" I '11 speak the honors of thy name 

With my expiring breath, 
And dying, clasp thee in my arms, 

The antidote of death. 5 ' 



SEKUON XXI. 

"HOPE IN GOD." 

Why art thou cast down. O my soul? and why art thou disqui- 
eted in me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, for the 
help of his counteaance. Psalm 42 : 5. 

Hope has, with propriety, been denominated 
the " deathless passion." It " springs eternal in 
the human breast," and is, of itself, among the 
richest blessings, that God has bestowed upon 
man. It is the companion of youth, and the 
solace of age ; and it sheds a cheering lustre upon 
all, that is dark or dreary, in the pilgrimage of 
man, on earth. Well indeed, is it, that we are, 
most of us, disposed to "hope on, and hope ever,'"' 
There are, however, dark shadows, and gloomy 
clouds, which come over us, at times, and fill the 
soul with apprehensions, if they do not bow it in 
despair. There are seasons, when evils come 
rushing upon us, like a resistless flood ; and no 
way of escape seems opened. Then, we feel 
how weak we are, and how little human power is 
33* 



390 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

likely to avail, in the stem conflict, that awaits 
us. So felt the Psalmist ; his soul was cast 
down, and disquieted within him. But, in that 
moment of weakness and despondency, came the 
thought of God, whose mercy endureth forever, 
and whose faithfulness is throughout all genera- 
tions ; and that thought inspired him with new 
energy and life, which speaks forth in the lan- 
guage of the text; " Why art thou cast down, O 
my soul? and wh} T art thou disquieted within 
me ? Hope thou in God." 

There was the antidote for all of doubt and 
fear, all of despondency or gloom, that might 
come upon the soul ; and this is the main idea, 
that I intend to illustrate in the present discourse. 

It is a blessed boon, that God has given us 
abundant reason to trust in him, and has thus laid 
a foundation for human hopes, which will stand 
while the world standeth ; and remain sure and 
steadfast, when time shall be no more. 

In treating of hope in God, it is proper to con- 
sider it, in regard to its objects, and its founda- 
tion. 

I. The objects embraced by hope in God. < 



"HOPE IN GOD," 



391 



So far as this world is concerned, the man who 
hopes in God, has greatly the advantage of him, 
who trusts in himself, or in anything else, except 
his Creator. Believing, that God is a being of 
perfect wisdom, infinite power, and unbounded 
goodness ; and knowing, that his Divine govern- 
ment extends through all departments of nature, 
and providence ; man can trust God, for care and 
protection, through all the changes and vicissi- 
tudes of life. He is assured, that although evils 
must come, yet, they " spring not forth from the 
ground," neither do they come unbidden of God ; 
but they are parts of a wise and gracious plan : 
under them the Lord will support him, and out 
of them, he will deliver him. He looks upon the 
earth and its busy scenes, and feels a cheering 
assurance, that, in all the apparent confusion, 
which meets his eye, there is light, order and har- 
mony; for God reigns, and controls the destinies 
of the children of men. And while nations rise 
and fall, he looks with "equal eye" upon the 
minutest event, that transpires, and numbers even 
the "hairs upon our heads." In earth's sorrows, 
as well as its joys, he beholds his Father's hand; 



392 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



and accepts the one, and the other, as coming 
from the same paternal care and love. He can 
therefore, appropriate all things to his use ; and 
while he surveys the picture of life, can derive 
comfort, not only from its bright and sunny hues ; 
but also, from its darkest shades ; for, they too, 
exhibit the great Master's hand and skill. 

With this faith, a man may well hope for hap- 
piness and peace, in this life. He is prepared to 
enjoy, all that man can enjoy, on earth : he may 
hope for that perfect peace, which dwells in the tab- 
ernacle of the upright, and he may be ever confi- 
dent, that he shall not be disappointed ; for come 
what will, his Father is at the helm, and he will 
not leave or forsake him. It is easy to perceive, 
that, so far as this life is concerned, such a man, 
is prepared to enjoy, and may expect to gain 
much, that is lost upon, or deemed worse than 
useless, by one, who is without this hope in God. 

Take an infidel, as an example, and how dif- 
ferent the prospect before and around him ! To 
him, this world is all, in all ; and his every hope 
and joy, must begin and end with its dust and 
vanity. In the current of events, that most 



"HOPE IN GOD." 



393 



nearly concern him, he sees a sweeping tide 
impetuously rushing on, and bearing all before 
it ; driven by its own blind gravity alone ; and 
lashed to foaming fury, by winds, that blow as 
chance directs. The world is without a governor, 
and has no laws, but those, which originate in 
blind, senseless matter, or, are devised by the 
wisdom of men, who seek to upbuild themselves, 
by the ruin of their fellows. In this scene of 
confusion, and in the midst of its strife and war, 
he must push his way onward, as best he may ; 
now breasting the mountain wave, and now meet- 
ing the furious wind ; having none to help, or 
deliver him, in the day of calamity. Feeble as 
he is, he must trust in himself alone, for there is 
no arm upon which he can lean, when tired and 
faint with the battle of life. Where his own wis- 
dom and power fail, there is the end of his con- 
fidence and joy. Well may his soul be, often, 
" cast down and disquieted within him ; " and 
well, may he sink in the gloom of despair ; for 
his hope is in himself ; and as it respects the 
enjoyments of this world, the child can see, that 



394 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



he is immeasurably below the man whose trust is 
in God. 

But the subject ends not here. On the con- 
trary, the highest and most precious objects of 
human hopes, are in another world. We need 
not be bound and fettered down to earth ; but on 
hope's triumphant wing, we may be borne up- 
ward, and onward, to a purer and a better world. 
The hopes of the unbeliever, meagre as they are, 
must be bounded by the horizon of this life ; for 
they cannot stretch a line beyond the approaching 
tomb. As for himself and all he loves, they are, 
in his view, but the frail children of a day, des- 
tined to lie down, ere long, in the grave, and 
sleep in eternal silence there. In that narrow 
house, he sees the end of all that live; the 
extinction alike, of all his hopes and fears, yea, 
of existence itself. 

But it is far otherwise with the man, who 
hopes in God. He trusts, that he shall live again, 
and his brightest star shines with unfading lustre, 
from the other side of the turbid waters, which 
flow between this world, and that " better coun- 
try" towards which he is hastening. In that 



"HOPE IN GOD." 



395 



blessed land, he hopes to dwell, free from the im- 
perfections of the flesh, and all the sources of the 
soul's disquietude, that here, waste his faith, and 
nourish his despair. When, on earth, he feels 
himself borne down by a body of sin and death ; 
and when he groans in pain, and sighs in afflic- 
tion and sorrow; he hopes for deliverance, and 
with unfailing faith, trusts, that the time is 
drawing nigh, when his toils and conflicts shall 
be over ; and his weary soul shall be at rest, no 
more to sin, no more to suffer, forever. Eicher 
by far, are the glories to which he aspires, than 
all the earth can afford, more precious than time 
can yield. 

Nor is this a selfish hope. But it is broad and 
catholic. Its objects are wide as creation ; and it 
goes out, in the spirit of Heaven's love, and 
encircles all that live. It is not a mere hope, for 
a splendid inheritance for self, to be enjoyed at 
the expense of the poverty, and wretchedness of a 
kindred race. It looks, on the contrary, for the 
time, when the children we love ; the friends that 
are near ; the neighbors in whose welfare we are 
bound to feel an interest, as in our own ; and 



398 



THE CROWN OF LIFE. 



indeed, all the vast brotherhood of our race, shall 
be delivered from the bondage of sin and corrup- 
tion, and translated into the glorious liberty of 
the children of God. And there, in that country, 
of which God is the light, and the life ; with that 
family, redeemed, no member lost, no Joseph gone, 
no Benjamin in Egypt — but all gathered from 
their wanderings, and saved from their sorrows ; 
it hopes to dwell, and enjoy the sweet communion 
of God, and of glorified spirits, through the ages 
of eternity. 

This is the consummation of that hope, which 
rests upon God ; and these are the glorious objects, 
it embraces. And it is thus broad and catholic, 
because it is a hope in God. It cannot be ex- 
pected, of course, that any hope should be more 
broad, than the foundation on which it rests. 
And hence, all hopes founded upon human means 
and human agencies, must be narrow and selfish, 
as well as frail and perishing. Such are many 
of the hopes for time, and for eternity, which are 
indulged by men, and rested upon foundations 
feeble as themselves, and narrow as their own 



"hope in god." 



397 



selfish feelings. This will lead me to consider 
more at length, 

II. The foundation of that hope, which rests 
upon God. 

This is an important part of our subject. He 
who would erect a temple, that can abide the 
wind and storm, must look well to the foundation, 
upon which it is built. It matters little how beau- 
tifully, or substantially, the superstructure of a 
building may be reared, or how splendidly it may 
be garnished ; if the foundation is sand, it will 
be a tottering Babel, destined to a speedy fall. 

So it is with our hopes. Imagination may 
build her castles in the air ; and hope may look 
forward and riot, in all the luxury of anticipated 
joy; but if the foundation is not sure and stead- 
fast; too soon, it will vanish away, and leave us 
to mourn over the wreck of our fondly cherished 
dreams, and to sigh in the bitterness of disap- 
pointment. 

But the hope to which the text points, is 
founded upon God, and is immutable. He is 
"without variableness or shadow of turning." 
From age to age, and from eternity to eternity, 
34 



39S THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

he is the same. The heavens may wax old as a 
garment, and be folded up as a vesture, that is 
worn of man ; but, the years of the eternal God, 
shall not fail ; nor can the changes of ten thousand 
ages, in the least affect the being, the perfections^ 
or the purposes of the Infinite One. He hath 
spoken, and it shall be done : he hath com- 
manded and it shall stand fast forever. Mani- 
festly, then, here is a permanent and substantial 
basis, upon which, hope may securely stand, and 
never be ashamed, or confounded. Whatever 
hope rests legitimately, and truthfully, upon this 
foundation, is firm and immovable. Men may 
change, in feeling, and in character ; they may 
grow old and die ; and the earth itself may pass 
away; but still, hope will remain unchanged and 
unfailing. 

if a reason be asked for this hope ; there is 
but one good reason, that can be given. " God 
reigns," is its calm reply ; and on that, it rests, 
without a doubt or a fear. The storm may come, 
and the earthquake may heave the foundations 
of the world, and break up the fountains of the 
great deep. The stars may fall from heaven, and 



"HOPE IN GOD." 



399 



the sun himself, may pale, like the flame of an 
expiring lamp — the baleful pestilence may stalk 
the earth ; and nations may die in a day : still, 
" God reigns," and every reason remains, for 
hoping in him. 

Perhaps, we shall best appreciate the stability, 
of this basis of hope by comparing it with the 
hopes, that men indulge. 

Here is a man, who has passed through a mys- 
terious and indescribable process of feeling, re- 
sulting in an equally mysterious change, called a 
" conversion of the soul ; " all well enough, and 
useful, so far as it makes the man better, than he 
was before ; but, as a foundation of hope, for the 
immortal glories of heaven, good for nothing. 
But on this, he depends, and ) r ear after year, he 
recurs in his mind, to this " conversion," as he 
calls it, as his only chance and hope, for life and 
immortality. He ponders upon the workings of 
his mind ; he analyzes all his feelings, and exam- 
ines every thought, as minutely as a physician 
the symptoms of a disease ; if haply he may find 
some reason to hope ; and in exact proportion as 
he is satisfied, or otherwise, that his conversion 



400 THE CROWN OF LIFE 

was genuine, his hopes of heaven rise, or full. 
Sometimes he fears, that he was deceived, oi,his 
" experience " was a delusion ; and immediately 
his hope wavers : its foundation is shaken ; and 
he is well-nigh in despair. At another time, he 
goes hack, through the vista of years, and medi- 
tates upon his feelings, in the time of that crisis, 
which he deems so decisive of his fate for eter- 
nity ; and it wears a more favorable aspect. He 
is now confident it was no deception. And now, 
he is strong in faith, and his hope is full of im- 
mortality. And thus he lives, the alternate sport 
of hope and fear ; now raised to the pinnacle of 
joy, and anon, sinking towards the depths of 
despair. The reason is, his hope is not in God, 
but in the fickle and changing feelings of his own 
soul ; and he finds, of course, that he has built 
upon a frail foundation, which, ever and anon, 
threatens to slide from under the fabric, he has 
reared, with so much labor. 

Another man has reared his hopes, upon his 
own works. The eternal weal or woe of man, is 
at his own disposal, and is dependent upon his 
own efforts. If he faithfully comes up, to all 



44 HOPE IN GOD." 401 

that is required of him, it will be well ; but, if he 
fails, in " one jot or tittle," his eternal ruin is 
sealed. His hope therefore, is founded entirely, 
upon the presumption, that he has performed ; 
and that he will, to the day of his death, continue 
to perform, the works, necessary to insure his 
immortal bliss. Hence, he carefully keeps the 
account ; and his hope depends upon its balance. 
He looks upon his past life, to-day, and sees, that 
in many things he has failed, and in all, he has 
been an unprofitable servant ; and his hope trem- 
bles, and he is filled with fears, that it will utterly 
fail. Then, again, he thinks of himself, and as 
he remembers his frailty, he looks to the future, 
with its temptations and trials, and his heart dies 
within him, lest he should fail of the prize, at last. 
His hope is gone, and doubt and fear oppress him, 
and weigh him down to the earth. At another 
time perhaps, he contemplates the sunny side of 
the picture. He has just listened to a warming, 
and encouraging discourse. He feels strong. He 
is confident, that the past is forgiven, and he 
firmly resolves, that he will never again depart 
from the path of duty. Now, he is full of hope, 
34* 



402 



THE CROWN OF LIFE . 



and animated with the prospect of an eternity of 
blessedness, at God's right hand. But soon, some 
weakness of nature, or instability of purpose, 
betrays him into an error of thought, word or 
deed; and down again, goes the temple of his 
hope ; for its foundation is destroyed. And thus 
he lives ; his hope, like the mercury in the ther- 
mometer, rising or falling with every change of 
temperature, to the amount of a single degree ; 
and he experiences how bitter a thing it is, to set 
at naught that Divine word, which saith " Hope 
thou in God." 

And thus, unhappily, it is, with many of those, 
who profess the name of Christ. They are build- 
ing upon the basis of their own feelings, or works, 
and hence the instability of their hopes. True, 
they repudiate the idea of depending upon them- 
selves ; and make many professions of humility, 
and of a sense of entire dependence upon God. 
But notwithstanding all this, there are facts which 
go to snow, that the profession is not well found- 
ed in truth, however sincerely it may be made. 

It is an unquestionable fact, that the criterion 
of judgment to which an appeal is made, to 



"HOPE IN GOD." 



403 



decide whether there is hope for salvation, in 
any, and every given case, is the feelings or the 
works of man, rather than the government, or the 
immutable purpose of God. Take an illustra- 
tion. A friend has departed this life ; and the 
question is, whether those who mourn may hope, 
that it is well with him. If they apply to their 
spiritual teachers, for a solution of the question ; 
the first inquiry will be, not what God has said, 
but what the man had do?ie, or experienced. Was 
he a professor of religion ? Had his soul been 
converted ? Did he lead a life of prayer ? And 
was he resigned, in his last moments ? If these 
questions can all be answered in the affirmative, 
the decision will be, that there is good reason for 
hope, in his case. But if they are answered in 
the negative, a gloom of hopeless darkness must 
settle down upon his future destiny. Such are 
the foundations, on which men build their hopes ; 
and it is no wonder, that they are faint and 
feeble. 

I would not utter a word against the utility of 
a well-regulated religious' experience, or the im- 
portance of a life conformed to the spirit of 



404 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

Christ. As bearing upon man's happiness, here 
on earth ; and as blessed in all their influences, 
they are important, and should be cherished 
devoutly. But as foundations of hope, for the 
life immortal, they are the veriest rubbish imag- 
inable ; not a whit above the " filthy rags " upon 
which the Scribes and Pharisees of old, built 
their faith and hope. For that glorious boon, 
there is no hope worth possessing, which rests 
not, solely upon God, and his abundant grace. 

Allow me to offer, a few words more upon this 
point, for it is one of vast importance, especially 
to the bereaved and afflicted. It is truly wonder- 
ful, how slight and trivial are the circumstances, 
on which, those who are called to part with 
friends, rely, for hope, in the case of those, who 
have departed. A single instance will illustrate 
a multitude of cases, which are constantly occur- 
ring. 

Here is a mother, who has lost her child. 
Like her, of Nain, " it was her only son, and she 
is a widow." He was cut down, in the morning 
of life, and in the midst of his promise of useful- 
ness to the world. The widow's hope has fallen ; 



"HOPE IN GOD." 



405 



her home is desolate ; her idol has been taken 
away; and the question of his destiny, in the 
future, comes with thrilling power to a mother's 
heart. But, alas ! poor stricken sufferer ; she has 
not been taught to hope in God alone ! She looks 
not up, with trustful hope and love, saying, 
" Thy grace 0 God, is sufficient for all emer- 
gencies ; and with thee will I trust my son ; and 
solace this bleeding heart, with the full hope, 
that all is well with him." Nay, but she will 
immediately go to the history of the life of the 
youth, and endeavor there, to find the material for 
building a foundation of hope. And thus, will 
she soliloquize, upon the mighty question, which, 
in her view, involves the eternal weal, or woe, of 
her son. " True, he had been like others, of his 
age, thoughtless, and perhaps giddy ; and had 
not, as we know, been converted, in the ordinary 
acceptation of the term. But, after all, he was a 
dear and affectionate child ; and during his last 
sickness, I heard him utter a prayer to God for 
mercy ; and 1 hope he is in heaven." Now, 
what I wish to note is, that this hope, if indeed, 
such it can be called, is not founded upon God, 



406 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 

but upon a slight and transient event, in the life 
of a child. Take away that little circumstance, 
and hope would die. Poor heart-smitten mourn- 
er ; God pity thee ! It is a blessed thing, that 
there is left thee, even that much, amid the 
wreck of human hopes, caused by the cheerless 
superstitions of the world. I would not pluck it 
from thee, for it is all, that saves thee from the 
utter desolation of hopeless despair. But O ! 
how unlike the confiding spirit of the Psalmist, 
who, when sinking in the deep waters of afflic- 
tion, could raise his trustful eyes to Heaven, and 
chide the weakness, that faltered, for a moment, 
saying, " Why art thou cast down, O my soul ; 
and why art thou disquieted within me ? Hope 
thou in God ; for I shall yet praise him, for the 
help of his countenance." In God, and in him 
alone, is there found a stable and steadfast found- 
ation of hope. To him then, let us go, and " cast 
all our care upon him," feeling that he careth for 
us ; and knowing, that he will never leave, or for- 
sake us. All else, is fleeting and changing as 
the wind. Here is the foundation, that cannot be 
moved, and those who build upon it, shall not 



"HOPE IN GOD." 



407 



be disappointed. It is firm enough, and broad 
enough, to sustain a hope, which shall include the 
world. On that immovable rock, let us build, 
and then, in every season of sorrow or danger, 
we can say with the poet, 

" My lifted eye without a tear, 

The gathering storm shall see. 
My steadfast heart shall know no fe?* 

That heart is stayed on thee." 



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